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27 

MAWARD'S  ENGLISH 
CLASSIC  SERIES 

WITH  EXPLANATORY  NOTES 


S38|  THE  FAERIE  BStefr 
•$§       QUEENE       W0J" 


QUEENE 
I.  AND  n. 


PROTHALAfflON 

SPENSER 


>-. 


3D 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES  E.  MERRILL  CO. 


EDMUND    SPENSER 


MAYNARD'S  ENGLISH  CLASSIC  SERIBS._No.   27 

THE 

FAERIE    QUEENE 

CANTOS   I.— II. 

AND  THE   PROTHALAMION 


BY    EDMUND    SPENSER 


WITH  PREFA  TORY  AND  EXPLANA  TORY  NOTES 


NEW   YORK 
CHARLES   E.  MERRILL   CO. 


lft(fC> 


.Cm^A 


v8/ +oi 


LIFE   OF   SPENSER. 


JlDKUifD  Spensbr  is  Bupposed  to  have  been  born  In  the  year  1563,  to 
East  Smithfleld,  London.  Little  or  nothing  is  known  of  his  parents:  hi 
claimed  connection  with  the  noble  House  of  Spencer  or  Spenser,  and  the 
relationship  was  recognised  by  the  principal  branches  of  that  family 
He  entered  Pembroke  Hall,  Cambridge,  as  a  sizar,  May  20,1569,  and  here 
ae  seems  to  have  remained  till  he  took  his  degree  of  M.A.  in  June  1576. 
A.t  college,  one  of  his  most  intimate  friends  was  Gabriel  Harvey,  himself 
a  poet,  who  first  drew  Spenser  to  London  in  1578;  Spenser,  on  quitting 
the  university,  having  gone  to  reside  with  some  relations  in  the  north  of 
England,  possibly  in  the  capacity  of  domestic  tutor.  In  London,  Spen- 
ser became  acquainted  with  Sir  Philip  Sidney,  who  took  him  for  some 
time  to  his  seat  of  Penshurst  in  Kent.  Here  he  probably  wrote  his 
Shepherd's  Calendar,  his  first  published  work.  In  1580,  Spenser  accom- 
panied as  secretary  Lord  Grey  of  Wilton,  appointed  Lord -deputy  of  Ire- 
land; and  in  1586  he  is  found  in  possession  of  3028  acres  of  land  in  the  coun- 
ty of  Cork,  presented  to  him  for  his  services  by  Queen  Elizabeth.  Here 
he  lived  till  1589,  when  he  accompanied  Raleigh  to  England;  and  in  1590 
published  the  first  three  books  of  the  Faerie  Queene.  In  February  1591, 
the  Queen  bestowed  on  Spenser  a  pension  of  JB50,  and  in  the  same  year 
he  published  a  volume  of  smaller  poems.  About  this  time  he  returned 
to  Ireland,  where  he  lived,  occasionally  visiting  England,  till  1598.  In 
1595,  he  published  a  collection  of  sonnets  entitled  Amoretti;  and,  it  is 
supposed,  about  the  same  time  married  an  Irish  girl  of  great  beauty,  but 
humble  birth.  In  1596,  he  presented  to  the  Queen  his  prose  work,  A  View 
of  the  State  of  Ireland,  not  printed  till  1633;  and  in  the  same  year  he 
published  three  more  books  of  the  Faerie  Queene,  together  with  a  new 
edition  of  the  first  three.  In  October  1598,  the  insurrection  known  as 
"Tyrone's  Rebellion"  broke  out  in  Ireland,  spreading  confusion  and 
desolation  over  a  great  part  of  the  land.  Spenser  was  one  of  the  suffer- 
ers. All  his  property  was  plundered  or  destroyed,  and  his  house  burDed 
he  himself,  along  with  his  wife  and  two  eldest  sons,  narrowly  escaping 
from  the  flames.  An  infant  was  left  behind,  and  burned  to  death  among 
the  ruins.  He  made  his  way  to  London,  and  died,  January  1599,  of  a 
broken  heart,  at  an  inn  in  King  Street,  Westminster.  The  Earl  of  Essex 
eharged  himself  with  the  expenses  of  the  funeral;  and  the  poet  was 
buried  in  Westminster  Abbey,  close  to  the  grave  of  Chaucer.  His  wife 
survived  him  some  time,  and  both  his  sons  left  descendants. 

The  Faerie  Queene,  intended  by  Spenser  to  have  occupied  twelve 
books,  is  only  little  more  than  half  finished. 


THE  FAERY  QUEENE. 

When  the  "  Faery  Queene"  first  appeared,  the  whole  of  Eng- 
land seems  to  have  been  moved  by  it.  No  such  poet  had  arisen 
in  this  country  for  nearly  two  hundred  years.  Since  Chaucer 
and  the  author  of  "  Piers  Plowman "  there  had  been  no  great 
poem.  The  fifteenth  century  had  been  almost  a  blank,  the  dark- 
est period  of  our  literary  annals ;  the  earlier  part  of  the  sixteenth 
had  been  occupied  with  great  theological  questions,  which  had 
engrossed  men's  minds  till  the  long  reign  of  Elizabeth  gave  sta- 
bility to  the  Reformation  in  England,  and  the  first  fervor  of  the 
Church  writers  subsided.  The  tone  of  society  was  favorable  to 
a  work  which,  with  a  strong  theological  element  in  it,  still  dealt 
with  feats  of  chivalry  and  heroes  of  romance.  The  English  mind 
was  filled  with  a  sense  of  poetry  yet  unexpressed.  Great  deeds, 
great  discoveries,  and  men  of  capacity  moving  among  them,  had 
roused  the  spirit  of  the  nation.  The  people  were  proud  of  their 
Queen  and  their  freedom  ;  the  new  aristocracy  was  just  feeling  its 
strength;  it  was  a  time  of  most  varied  life.  Nothing  was  wanted 
but  a  great  poem  to  express  the  universal  desire ;  and  Spenser 
first,  and  then  Shakespeare  appeared,  to  fulfill  the  national 
instinct.  Drayton,  Fletcher  (in  his  "Purple  Island "),  Milton, 
and  perhaps  Bunyan,  show  in  their  writings  the  effect  of  our 
poet's  genius.  .  .  . 

In  speaking  of  Spenser,  Milton  did  not  hesitate  to  call  him  "a 
better  teacher  than  Scotus  or  Aquinas  "-—a  better  philosopher, 
a  purer  moralist,  than  either  one  or  other  of  the  leaders  of  scholas- 
tic lore;  and  we  may  re-echo  his  words  without  offense,  when  we 
say  that  a  young  student  is  as  likely  to  gain  a  vivid  conception  of 
duty  and  virtue  from  his  pages  as  from  those  works  which  deal 
in  a  more  exact  manner  with  the  moral  constitution  of  man's 
nature.  Here  the  qualities  and  actions  of  man  are  set  before  us 
in  their  living  forms;  the  genius  of  the  poet  carries  us  along  with 
him :  we  personify  with  him ;  we  enact  the  scenes  which  paint 
the  victory  of  Good  over  the  monster  dragon  of  Evil.— G  W. 
Kitchin,  D.D.,  Dean  of  Winchester. 


A   LETTEK   OF   THE   ATJTHOES, 

EXPOUNDING  HIS  WHOLB  INTENTION  IN  THE  COURSE  OP  THIS  WORKE!  WHICH 

FOR  THAT  IT  GIVETH  GREAT  LIGHT  TO  THE  READER,  FOR  THE 

BETTER  UNDERSTANDING  IS  HEREUNTO  ANNEXED. 

TO  THE  RIGHT  NOBLE  AND  VALOROUS 

Sib  WALTER  RALEIGH,  Knight. 

W)RD  WARDED*  OF  THE  8TANNERYES,  AND   HER   MAIESTIE3   LIEFETENAUNT 
OF  THE  COUNTY  OF  CORNEWAYLL. 


8ra,  knowing  how  doubtfully  all  Allegories  may  be  construed,  and  this 
booke  of  mine,  which  I  have  entituled  the  Faery  Queene,  being  a  con- 
tinued allegory,  or  darke  conceit,  I  haue  thought  good,  as  well  for  avoyd- 
ing  of  gealous  opinions  and  misconstructions,  as  also  for  your  better 
light  in  reading  thereof,  (being  so  by  you  commanded,)  to  discover  unto 
you  the  general  intention  and  meaning,  which  in  the  whole  course  there- 
of I  have  fashioned,  without  expressing  of  any  particular  purposes,  or 
by  accidents,  therein  occasioned.  The  general!  end  therefore  of  all  the 
booke  is  to  fashion  a  gentleman  or  noble  person  in  vertuous  and  gentle 
disciplined  Which  for  that  I  conceived  shoulde  be  most  plausible  and 
pleasing,  being  coloured  with  an  historicall  fiction,  the  which  the  most 
part  of  men  delight  to  read,  rather  for  variety  of  matter  then  for  profite 
of  the  ensample,  I  chose  the  historye  of  King  Arthure,  as  most  fitte  for 
the  excellency  of  his  person,  being  made  famous  by  many  mens  former 
workes,  and  also  furthest  from  the  daunger  of  envy,  and  suspition  of 
present  time,  In  which  I  have  followed  all  the  antique  poets  historicall: 
first  Homere,  who  in  the  persons  of  Agamemnon  and  Ulysses  hath  er> 
sampled  a  good  governour  and  a  vertuous  man,  the  one  in  his  Bias,  the 
other  in  his  Odysseis:  then  Virgil,  whose  like  intention  was  to  doe  in  the 
person  of  Aeneas:  after  him  Ariosto  comprised  them  both  in  his  Orlan- 
do: and  lately  Tasso  dissevered  them  againe,  and  formed  both  parts  in 
two  persons,  namely  that  part  which  they  in  Philosophy  call  Ethice,  or 
vertues  of  a  private  man,  coloured  in  his  Rinaldo;  the  other  named 
Politice  in  his  Godfredo.  By  ensample  of  which  excellente  poets,  I 
labour  tc  pourtraict  in  Arthure,  before  he  was  king,  the  image  of  a 
brave  knight,  perfected  in  the  twelve  private  morall  vertues,  as  Aristotlt 


6  THE   FAERIE   QUEENE. 

hath  devised:  the  which  is  the  purpose  of  these  first  twelve  bookes: 
which  if  I  finde  to  be  well  accepted,  I  may  be  perhaps  encoraged  to 
frame  the  other  part  of  polliticke  vertues  in  his  person,  after  that  hee 
came  to  be  king. 

To  some,  I  know,  this  methode  will  seeme  displeasaunt,  which  had 
rather  have  good  discipline  delivered  plainly  in  way  of  precepts,  or  ser- 
«naned  at  large,  as  they  use,  then  thus  clowdily  enwrapped  in  allegori- 
f  7  devises.  But  such,  me  seeme,  should  be  satisfide  with  the  use  of 
these  dayes,  seeing  all  things  accounted  by  their  showes,  and  nothing 
esteemed  of,  that  is  not  delightfull  and  pleasing  to  commune  sence. 
For  this  cause  is  Xenophon  preferred  before  Plato,  for  that  the  one,  in 
tne  exquisite  depth  of  his  judgement,  formed  a  commune- welth,  such  a? 
it  should  be;  but  the  other  in  the  person  of  Cyrus,  and  the  Persians, 
fashioned  a  government,  such  as  'might  best  be:  So  much  more  profit- 
able, and  gratious  is  doctrine  by  ensample,  then  by  rule.  So  haue  I 
laboured  to  doe  in  the  person  of  Arthure:  whome  I  conceive,  after  his 
long  education  by  Timon,  to  whom  he  was  by  Merlin  delivered  to  be 
brought  up,  so  soone  as  he  was  borne  of  the  Lady  Igrayne,  to  have  seene 
in  a  dream  or  vision  the  Faery  Queene,  with  whose  excellent  beauty 
ravished,  he  awaking  resolved  to  seeke  her  out;  and  so  being  by  Merlin 
armed,  and  by  Timon  throughly  instructed,  he  went  to  seeke  her  forth 
in  Faerye  land.  In  that  Faery  Queene  I  meane  Glory  in  my  generall  in- 
tention, but  in  my  particular  I  conceive  the  most  excellent  and  glorious 
person  of  our  soveraine  the  Queene,  and  her  kingdome  in  Faery  lande. 
And  yet,  in  some  places  els,  I  doe  otherwise  shadow  her.  For  consider- 
ing she  beareth  two  persons,  the  one  of  a  most  royall  Queene  or  Em- 
presse,  the  other  of  a  most  vertuous  and  beautiful  Lady,  this  latter  part 
In  some  places  I  doe  expresse  in  Belphoebe,  fashioning  her  name  accord- 
ing to  your  owne  excellent  conceipt  of  Cynthia,  (Phoebe  and  Cynthia 
being  both  names  of  Diana.)  So  in  the  person  of  Prince  Arthure  I  sette 
forth  magnificence  in  particular;  which  vertue,  for  that  (according  to 
Aristotle  and  the  rest)  it  is  the  perfection  of  all  the  rest,  and  conteineth 
in  it  them  all,  therefore  in  the  whole  course  I  mention  the  deedes  of 
Arthure  applyable  to  that  vertue,  which  I  write  of  in  that  booke.  But 
of  the  xii.  other  vertues,  I  make  xii.  other  knights  the  patrones,  for  the 
more  variety  of  the  history:  Of  which  these  three  bookes  contayn  three. 

The  first  of  the  knight  of  the  Redcrosse,  in  whome  I  expresse  Holynes: 
The  seconde  of  Sir  Guy  on,  in  whome  I  sette  forth  Temperaunce:  The 
third  of  Britomartis,  a  Lady  Knight,  in  whome  I  picture  Chastity.  But, 
because  the  beginning  of  the  whole  worke  seemeth  abrupte,  and  as  de- 
pending upon  other  antecedents,  it  needs  that  ye  know  the  occasion  of 
these  three  knights  seuerall  adventures.  For  the  methode  of  a  poet 
historical  is  not  such,  as  of  an  Historiographer.  For  an  historiographer 
discourseth  of  affayres  orderly  as  they  were  donne,  accounting  as  well 
the  times  as  the  actions;  but  a  poet  thrusteth  into  the  middest,  even 
where  it  most  concerneth  him,  and  there  recoursing  to  the  thinges  fore- 
paste  and  divining  of  thinges  to  come,  maketh  a  pleasing  Analysis  of  all. 

The  beginning  therefore  of  my  history,  if  it  were  to  be  told  by  an 
historiographer,  should  be  the  twelfth  booke,  which  is  the  last;  where  I 
tevioe  that  the  Faery  Queene  kept  her  annuall  feaste  xii.  dayes:  uppoa 


THE  FAERIE  QUEEN'S.  7 

which  xii.  severall  dayes,  the  occasions  of  the  xii.  severall  adventures 
hapned,  which,  being  undertaken  by  xii.  severall  knights,  are  In  these 
xii.  books  severally  handled  and  discoursed.  The  first  was  this.  In  the 
beginning  of  the  feast,  there  presented  him  self e  a  tall  clownishe  younge 
man,  who  falling  before  the  Queene  of  Faries  desired  a  boone  (as  tho 
manner  then  was)  which  during  that  feast  she  might  not  refuse;  which 
was  that  hee  might  have  the  atchievement  of  any  adventure,  which  dur- 
ing that  feaste  should  happen:  that  being  graunted,  he  rested  him  on 
the  floore,  unfitte  through  his  rusticity  for  a  better  place.  Soone  after 
entred  a  f  aire  Ladye  in  mourning  weedes,  riding  on  a  white  Asse,  with  a 
dwarf e  behind  her  leading  a  warlike  steed,  that  bore  the  Armes  of  8 
knight,  and  his  speare  in  the  dwarfes  hand.  She,  falling  before  the 
Queene  of  Faeries,  complayned  that  her  father  and  mother,  an  ancien. 
King  and  Queene,  had  bene  by  an  huge  dragon  many  years  shut  up  in  a 
brasen  Castle,  who  thence  suffred  them  not  to  yssew;  and  therefore  be- 
sought the  Faery  Queene  to  assygne  her  some  one  of  her  knights  to  take 
on  him  that  exployt.  Presently  that  clownish  person,  upstarting,  desired 
that  adventure:  whereat  the  Queene  much  wondering,  and  the  Lady  much 
gainesaying,  yet  he  earnestly  importuned  his  desire.  In  the  end  the 
Lady  told  him,  that  unlesse  that  armour  which  she  brought,  would  serve 
him  (that  is,  the  armour  of  a  Christian  man  specified  by  St.  Paul,  vi 
Ephes.)  that  he  could  not  succeed  in  that  enterprise;  which  being  forth- 
with put  upon  him,  with  dewe  furnitures  thereunto,  he  seemed  the  good- 
liest man  in  all  that  company,  and  was  well  liked  of  the  Lady.  And 
ef  tesoones  taking  on  him  knighthood,  and  mounting  on  that  straunge 
courser,  he  went  forth  with  her  on  that  adventure:  where  oeginneth  tne 
first  booke,  viz. 

A  gentle  knight  was  pric  king  on  the  playne,  Jta. 

The  second  day  ther  came  in  a  Palmer,  bearing  an  Infant  with  bloody 
hands,  whose  Parents  he  complained  to  have  bene  slayn  by  an  Enchaunfc- 
eresse  called  Acrasia;  and  therefore  craved  of  the  Faery  Queene  to 
appoint  him  some  knight  to  performe  that  adventure;  which  being 
assigned  to  Sir  Guyon,  he  presently  went  forth  with  that  same  Palmer: 
which  is  the  beginning  of  the  second  booke,  and  the  whole  subject  there- 
Df .  The  third  day  there  came  in  a  Groome,  who  complained  before  the 
Faery  Queene,  that  a  vile  Enchaunter,  called  Busirane,  had  in  hand  > 
most  f aire  Lady,  called  Amoretta,  whom  he  kapt,  in  most  grievous  toi  ' 
ment,  because  she  would  not  yield  him  the  pleasure  of  her  body.  Where- 
upon Sir  Scudamour,  the  lover  of  that  Lady,  presently  tooke  on  him  that 
adventure.  But  being  vnable  to  performe  it  by  reason  of  the  hard  en- 
chauntments,  after  long  sorrow,  in  the  end  met  with  Britomartis,  who 
succoured  him,  and  reskewed  his  loue. 

But  by  occasion  hereof  many  other  adventures  are  intermedled;  but 
rather  as  accidents  then  intendments:  As  the  love  of  Britomart,  the 
overthrow  of  Marinell,  the  misery  of  Florimell,  the  vertuousnes  of  Bel- 
phcabe,  the  lasciviousnes  of  Hellenora,  and  many  the  like. 

Thus  much,  Sir,  I  have  briefly  overroww  to  direct  your  understaudJi*r 


I 


THE  FAERIE   QUEENE. 


to  the  wel-head  of  the  History;  that  from  thence  gathering  the  whole 
in.  mtion  of  the  conceit,  ye  may  as  in  a  handfull  gripe  al  the  discourse, 
which  otherwise  may  happily  seeme  tedious  and  confused.  So,  humblj 
craving  the  continuance  of  your  honorable  favour  towards  me,  and  tb 
eternail  establishment  of  your  happines,  I  humbly  take  leave. 

23.  Ianuary  15»9 
Yours  most  humbly  affectionate, 

Ed.  Spe^skk. 


ABBREVIATIONS. 


\i..,, Arabic. 

A .  S.  - .  Anglo-Saxon. 

bk book. 

c canto. 

ch chapter. 

comp comparative. 

Dan Danish. 

Eng English. 

Fr French. 

Gael Gaelic. 

Ger German. 

Goth Gothic. 

Or Greek. 

Ice....    Icelandic. 

Inf Infinitive. 

Introd Introduction, 


Ital Italian. 

L Latin. 

lit literal  or  -ly. 

orig original  or  -ly. 

pa.p past  particle. 

pa.t past  tense. 

pi plural. 

Port Portuguese. 

pr.p present  participle 

prob probably. 

prov provincial. 

Provl Provencal. 

Sc Scotch. 

Sp Spanish. 

st stanza. 

V vorb. 


Lin  the  references,  the  first  figure  refers  to  the  canto  vhs  seoond  to  t>e 
stanza,  and  the  third  to  the  line.) 


THE  FIKST  BOOK 


THE   FAEEIE    QTJEEFE. 

"tONTAYNING   THE   LEGEND   OF  THE   KNIGHT   OF   THE   BED   CROSSE,    OS  OF 
HOLINESSE. 


t 

Lo!  I,  the  man  whose  Muse  whylome  did  maske, 
As  time  her  taught,  in  lowly  Shepheards  weeds, 
Am  now  enforst,  a  farre  unfitter  taske, 
For  trumpets  sterne  to  chaunge  mine  oaten  reeds, 
And  sing  of  knights  and  ladies  gentle  deeds; 
Whose  praises  having  slept  in  silence  long, 
Me,  all  to  meane,  the  sacred  Muse  areeds 
To  blazon  broade  emongst  her  learned  throng: 
Fierce  warres  and  faithful  loves  shall  moralize  my  song. 

II. 

Helpe  then,  0  holy  virgin,  chiefe  of  nyne, 
Thy  weaker  Novice  to  performe  thy  will; 
Lay  forth  out  of  thine  everlasting  scryne 
The  antique  rolles,  which  there  lye  hidden  still, 

1.  1.  Ijo!  I,  the  man.— Imitated  from  the  lines  prefixed  to  Virgil's 
JEneid— whylome,  once,  formerly.  A.S.  hwilon,  hwilun,  awhile,  for  a 
while  or  time.— maske,  to  be  disguised  as  in  a  mask  or  at  a  masquerade 
Fr.  masque,  perhaps  from  Ar.  maskarah,  an  object  of  laughter,  or  low 
L.  masca,  mascha,  a  hag. 

1.  2.  Shepheards  weeds.— Alluding  to  bis  Shepherd's  Calendar,  a 
series  of  pastoral  poems,  published  1579. 

1.  4.  Oaten  reeds.— Of  which  the  shepherd's  or  Pan's  pipe  was  made 

1.  7.  Areeds.— Counsels,  advises,  commands.  Sc.  rede  or  read;  A.S 
rcedan,  to  declare,  reed,  arced,  counsel. 

1.  8.  Broade.— Abroad. 

1.  9.  Moralize.— Make  of  the  nature  of  a  moral,  moral-play,  or  moral- 
ity, a  kind  of  drama  in  which  virtues  and  vices  personified  are  the  char- 
fliCtprs 

2.  1.  Holy  virgin,  chiefe,  etc.— Clio,  the  Muse  of  History  and  of 
Epic  Poetry,  the  first  of  the  nine  Muses.  » 

2.  2.  Weaker.— Too  or  very  weak. 

2.  3.  Scryne.— An  escritoire  or  writing-desk;  old  Fr  escrin,  A.S-  *crw, 
L.  scrinium—scribo,  to  write. 


10  THE   FAERIE   QUEENS. 

Of  Faerie  knights,  and  fay  rest  Tanaquili, 

Whom  that  most  noble  Briton  Prince  so  long 

Sought  through  the  world,  and  suffered  so  much  ill, 

That  I  must  rue  his  undeserved  wrong: 

O,  helpe  thou  my  weake  wit,  and  sharpen  my  dull  tongt 

in. 

And  thou,  most  dreaded  impe  of  highest  Jove, 
Faire  Venus  sonne,  that  with  thy  cruell  dart 
A.t  that  good  knight  so  cunningly  didst  rove, 
That  glorious  fire  it  kindled  in  his  hart; 
Lay  now  thy  deadly  heben  bowe  apart, 
And  with  thy  mother  mylde  come  to  mine  ayde; 
Come,  both;  and  with  you  bring  triumphant  Mart, 
In  loves  and  gentle  jollities  arraid, 
After  his  murdrous  spoyles  and  bloudie  rage  allayd. 

rv. 

And  with  them  eke,  O  Goddesse  heavenly  bright, 
Mirrour  of  grace  and  majestie  divine, 
Great  ladie  of  the  greatest  isle,  whose  light 
Like  Phcebus  lampe  throughout  the  world  doth  shine, 
Shed  thy  faire  beames  into  my  feeble  eyne, 
And  raise  my  thoughtes,  too  humble  and  too  vile, 
To  thinke  of  that  true  glorious  type  of  thine, 
The  argument  of  mine  afflicted  stile: 
The  which  to  heare  vouchsafe,  O  dearest  dread,  a  while. 


2.  5.  Tanaquili.— An  ancient  British  princess,  intended  to  represent 
Queen  Elizabeth. 
2.  6.  Noble  Briton  Prince.— King  Arthur. 

2.  7.  Ana  suffered.— That  is,  for  whom  he  suffered. 

3.  1.  Impe  of,  etc.— Cupid,  son  of  Jove  or  Jupiter  and  Venus.  Imp 
here  =  shoot,  offspring,  child;  A.S.  impart,  to  graft. 

8.  5.  Heben.— Ebon. 

8.  7.  Mart. — Mars,  god  of  war;  L.  Mars,  Martis. 

4.  1.  Eke.— Also;  v.  efce,  to  increase ;  A.S.  eac,  also,  eacan,  to  increase. 
—Goddesse,  etc.,  Queen  Elizabeth. 

4.  4.  Phcebus  lampe.— The  sun.    See  II.  xxix.  3. 

4.  6.  Eyne,  or  eyen.— Old  pi.  eye,  still  seen  in  children,  Jcine,  oxen,  Sa 
thoen,  etc. 

4.  7.  Type,  etc.— Una,  or  Truth. 

4.  8.  Argument.— Subject— afflicted,  low  or  lowly— stile,  pen;  the  Una 
means,  "  subject  of  my  humble  song." 

4.  9.  Dearest  dread.— An  expression  of  loving  veneration,  SQUaewbal 
m  the  modem  reverence;  used  in  c,  vi.  2.  of  Una. 


THE  FAERIE  QUEENB.  11 


CANTO  I. 

[The  Redcrosse  Knight  and  Una,  with  her  dwarf,  caught  by  a  storm, 
are  forced  to  seek  shelter  in  a  wood,  which  turns  out  to  be  the  wood  of 
Error.  Here  the  knight  encounters  Error,  half  serpent,  half  woman,  in 
her  den.  The  knight  attacks  the  monster,  and  slays  it.  After  this,  they 
encounter  'an  aged  sire,'  who  turns  out  to  be  the  enchanter  Archimago, 
with  whom  they  went  home.  Archimago,  by  his  witchcraft,  makes  the 
knight  believe  that  Una  is  unfaithful  to liim.] 

The  patron  of  true  Holinesse, 

Foule  Errour  doth  def eate ; 
Hypocrisie,  him  to  entrappe,  " 

Doth  to  his  home  entreate, 

I. 

A  gentle  Knight  was  pricking  on  the  plaine, 
Ycladd  in  mightie  armes  and  silver  shielde, 
Wherein  old  dints  of  deepe  woundes  did  remaine, 
The  cruell  markes  of  many  a  bloody  fielde; 
Yet  armes  till  that  time  did  he  never  wield: 
His  angry  steede  did  chide  his  f  oming  bitt, 
As  much  disdayning  to  the  curbe  to  yield: 
Full  jolly  knight  he  seemd,  and  faire  did  sitt, 
As  one  for  knightly  giusts  and  fierce  encounters  fitt 

n. 

And  on  his  brest  a  bloodie  crosse  he  bore, 
The  deare  remembrance  of  his  dying  Lord, 
For  whose  sweete  sake  that  glorious  badge  he  wore, 
And  dead,  as  living  ever,  him  ador'd: 
Upon  his  shield  the  like  was  also  scor'd, 

1.  1.  A  gentle  Knight.— The  Redcrosse  Knight,  St.  George,  the  tute- 
lary saint  of  England.  See  his  armor  and  the  nature  of  his  mission 
described  in  the  Author's  Prefatory  Letter.  See  also  Note  II.  ii.  9.— 
pricking,  riding  quickly  or  caperingly  by  pricking  or  spurring  on  hia 
horse. 

1.  2.  Ycladd.— Clad.  The  y  is  the  A.S.  and  old  Eng.  ge,  often  prefixed 
to  any  part  of  the  verb,  but  especially  to  the  pa.p. ;  in  Ger.  it  is  the  sign 
of  the  pa.p.— stiver  shielde.  Hardyng,  in  his  Chronicle,  tell  us  that  iYa 
shield  of  silver  white,"  with  "a  cross  endlong  and  overthwart  full  per- 
fect," were  regarded  as  St.  George's  arms. 

1.  8.  Jolly.— Handsome.    Fr.  joli,  good-looking. 

1.  9.  Giusts.— Jousts,  tilts  or  encounters  at  a  tournament;  old  Fr 
juste,  Fr.  joute,  prob.  from  L.  juxta,  together;  allied  to  jostle. 

2.  4  And  dead,  etc.—"  I  am  he  that  liveth,  and  was  dead;  and,  be 
hold,  I  am  alive  for  evermore."    Rev.  i.  IS. 


12  THE  FAERIE   QUEENE. 

For  soveraine  hope  which  in  his  helpe  he  had. 
Right,  faithfull,  true  he  was  in  deede  and  word; 
But  of  his  cheere  did  seeme  too  solemne  sad; 
Yet  nothing  did  he  dread,  but  ever  was  ydract 

in. 

Upon  a  great  adventure  he  was  bond, 
That  greatest  Gloriana  to  him  gave, 
(That  greatest  glorious  queene  of  Faery  lond,) 
To  winne  him  worshippe,  and  her  grace  to  have, 
Which  of  all  earthly  things  he  most  did  crave: 
And  ever  as  he  rode  his  hart  did  earne 
To  prove  his  puissance  in  battell  brave 
Upon  his  foe,  and  his  new  force  to  learne; 
Upon  his  foe,  a  dragon  horrible  and  stearne. 

IV. 
A  lovely  ladle  rode  him  faire  beside, 
Upon  a  lowly  asse  more  white  then  snow, 
Yet  she  much  whiter;  but  the  same  did  hide 
Under  a  vele,  that  wimpled  was  full  low; 
And  over  all  a  blacke  stole  shee  did  throw: 
As  one  that  inly  mournd,  so  was  she  sad, 
And  heavie  sate  upon  her  palfrey  slow; 
Seemed  in  heart  some  hidden  care  she  had; 
And  by  her  in  a  line  a  milkewhite  lambe  she  lad. 


2.  6.  For  soveraine    hope,  etc.— That  is,  the  cross  scored  on  his 
shield  was  a  sign  of  the  sovereign  hope  he  had  in  the  help  of  his  Lord. 

2.  8.  Cheere.— Countenance,  old  Fr.  chi&re,  Ital.  cera,  the   counte- 
nance; low  L.  cava,  Gr.  kara,  head,   face.— solemne  sad,    "solemnly 
grave,"  or  "  solemn  and  grave."  Sad,  in  old  Eng.,  often  means  "  grave, 
K sedate."  "staid."    A.S.  seed,  sated,  weary;  Ice.  settr,  sedate. 

2.  9.  Ydrad — "Dreaded,"  pa.p.  of  dread.    See  Ycladd,  I.  i.  2. 

3.  2.  Gloriana — Queen  of  Fairy  Land,  representative  of  Queen  Eliza- 
beth.   See  Author's  Letter. 

3.  4.  Worshippe.— Worthiness,  honor;  worth,  and  affix  ship. 
8.  6.  Earne.— Yearn;  hence  earnest;  A.S.  georn,  desirous. 

3.  8.  His  foe.— Probably  popery. 

4.  1.  A  lovely  ladie.— Una,  or  Truth.     See  Author's  Letter— faire, 
fairly.  According  to  R.  Morns,  -e  is  an  early  Eng.  adverbial  termination. 

4.  4.  Wimpled.— Plaited  or  folded  like  the  white  linen  neckerchief 
worn  by  nuns.  A.S.  winpel;  old  Ger.  wimpel,  a  veil,  streamer;  Fr.  guimpe. 
4.  5.  Stole.— A  long  robe  reaching  to  the  feet.    Gr.  stole,  a  robe. 
4.  6.  Sad.    See  I.  ii.  H 
4.  8.  Seemed.— That  is,  it  seemed. 
4.  9.  Lad.— Led. 


THE  FAERIE  QUEENE.  13. 


V. 

So  pure  and  innocent,  as  that  same  lambe, 
She  was  in  life  and  every  vertuous  lore; 
And  by  descent  from  royall  lynage  came, 
Of  ancient  kinges  and  queenes,  that  had  of  yore 
Their  scepters  stretcht  from  east  to  westerne  shore, 
And  all  the  world  in  their  subjection  held ; 
Till  that  infernall  feend  with  foule  uprore  y 

For  wasted  all  their  land,  and  them  expeld; 
Whom  to  avenge  she  had  this  knight  from  far  compeld 

VL 

Behind  her  farre  away  a  dwarfe  did  lag; 
That  lasie  seemd,  in  being  ever  last, 
Or  wearied  with  bearing  of  her  bag 
Of  needments  at  his  backe.    Thus  as  they  past, 
The  day  with  cloud es  was  suddeine  overcast, 
And  angry  Jove  an  hideous  storme  of  raine 
Did  poure  into  his  lemana  lap  so  fast, 
That  everie  wight  to  shrowd  it  did  constrain; 
And  this  faire  couple  eke  to  shroud  themselves  were  fain. 

vn. 

Enforst  to  seeke  some  covert  nigh  at  hand, 
A  shadie  grove  not  farr  away  they  spide, 
That  promist  ayde  the  tempest  to  withstand; 
Whose  loftie  trees,  yclad  with  sommers  pride, 
Did  spred  so  broad,  that  heavens  light  did  hide, 

5.  3.  And  by  descent,  etc.— Probably  the  Church  of  England  is 
meant  here. 

5.  8.  Forwasted.— Utterly  laid  waste.  For  is  an  intensive  prefix,  as 
In  forego,  forbid,  forlorn  =  L.  per,  Ger.  ver. 

6.  1.  A  dwarfe.— Dwarfs,  in  the  days  of  knight-errantry,  were  usual 
attendants  of  ladies,  to  whom  they  were  ever  faithful.  Here  the  dwarf 
may  represent  Providence  or  Prudence,  as  he  bears  the  "  bag  of  need- 
ments."   • 

6.  5.  Suddeine.    See  note  I.  iv.  1,  faire. 

6.  7.  Lemans.- Mistress's— that  is,  the  Earth,  represented  by  the  an- 
cient Roman  poets  as  the  wife  or  mistress  of  Jupiter.  Old  Eng.  lefman 
=  loveman,  or  loved  one  of  either  sex;  from  A.S.  luf,  loved,  dear. 

6.  8.  Wight.— Person,  creature.  A.S.  wiht.— shrowd,  to  hide  or  take 
shelter  from,  as  under  a  shroud  or  covering. 

6.  9.  Eke.  See  Introduction,  iv.  l.—fain,  glad,  eager.  A.S.  fceger^ 
glad;  Goth,  faginon,  Ice.  fagna,  to  be  glad  or  jovful. 

7.  2.  A  shadie  grove.— The  grove  or  wood  or  Error, 


14  THB  FAERIE   QUEENE. 

Not  perceable  with  power  of  any  starr: 
And  all  within  were  pathes  and  alleles  wide. 
With  footing  worne,  and  leading  inward  farr: 
Faire  harbour  that  them  seems;  so  in  they  entred  ar. 

vm. 

And  foorth  they  passe,  with  pleasure  forward  led, 
Joying  to  heare  the  birds  sweete  harmony, 
Which,  therein  shrouded  from  the  tempest  dred, 
Seemd  in  their  song  to  scorne  the  cruell  sky. 
Much  can  they  praise  the  trees  so  straight  and  hy, 
The  sayling  pine;  the  cedar  proud  and  tall; 
The  vine-propp  elme;  the  poplar  never  dry; 
The  builder  oake,  sole  king  of  forrests  all; 
The  aspine  good  for  staves;  the  cypresse  funerall; 

IX 

The  laurell,  meed  of  mightie  conquerours 
And  poets  sage;  the  firre  that  weepeth  still; 
The  willow,  worne  of  forlorne  paramours; 
The  eugh,  obedient  to  the  benders  will; 
The  birch  forshaftes;  the  sallow  for  the  mill; 
The  mirrhe  sweete-bleeding  in  the  bitter  wound; 
The  warlike  beech;  the  ash  for  nothing  ill; 
The  fruitfull  olive;  and  the  platane  round; 
The  carver  holme;  the  maple  seeldom  inward  sound. 


f.  9.  Harbour.— Refuge.  Old  Eng.  herbour,  herbergh;  A.S.  hereberga, 
ft  station  or  resting-place  for  an  army— here,  an  army,  and  beorgan,  to 
protect.    Ger.  herberge;  Fr.  auberge. 

8.  5.  Can  they  praise. — Spenser  sometimes  uses  "can"  for  "ganv 
—that  is,  began.  Here,  however,  this  phrase  may  simply  mean  "  tttey 
praised."  A  similar  description  of  trees  is  in  Chaucer s  Assembly  of 
ITowles. 

8.  6.  Sayling  pine.— Alluding  to  its  use  in  ship-building. 

8.  7.  Vine-propp  elme.— That  is,  the  elm  that  props  or  supports 
the  vine. 

P.  9.  Cypresse  funerall.— The  cypress  was  of  old  planted  over  graves. 
t.  2.  The  firre,  etc.— From  its  exuding  resin. 

9.  4.  The  eugh,  etc.— Bows  were  made  of  yew;  Chaucer  has  "the 
•hooter  yew." 

9.  6.  The  mirrhe,  etc.— Prob.  means  the  myrrh  that  exudes  a  sweet 
gum  from  its  wounded  bark,  which  has  a  bitter  taste. 

9.  7.  The  warlike  beech.— Possibly  war-chariots  were  of  old  mada 
from  beech,  or  some  of  the  ancient  war- weapons. 

9.  8.  Platane*— The  plane-tree.    Fr.  plane,  vlatan*. 


THE  FAERIE  QUEENS.  16 


X. 
iied  with  delight,  they  thus  beguile  the  way, 
Cntill  the  blustring  storme  is  overblowne; 
When,  weening  to  returne  whence  they  did  stray, 
They  cannot  finde  that  path,  which  first  was  showne, 
But  wander  too  and  fro  in  waies  unknowne, 
Furthest  from  end  then,  when  they  neerest  weene, 
That  makes  them  doubt  their  wits  be  not  their  owne: 
3o  many  pathes,  so  many  turnings  seene, 
That  which  of  them  to  take  in  diverse  doubt  they  been, 

XL 

At  last  resolving  forward  still  to  fare, 
Till  that  some  end  they  finde,  or  in  or  out, 
That  path  they  take,  that  beaten  seemd  most  bare; 
And  like  to  lead  the  labyrinth  about; 
Which  when  by  tract  they  hunted  had  throughout; 
At  length  it  brought  them  to  a  hollo  we  cave 
Amid  the  thickest  woods.    The  champion  stout 
Eftsoones  dismounted  from  his  courser  brave, 
And  to  the  dwarfe  a  while  his  needless  spero  he  gave. 

XII, 

•'  Be  well  aware,"  quoth  then  that  ladie  milde, 
''Least  suddaine  mischief e  ye  too  rash  provoke: 
The  danger  hid,  the  place  unknowne  and  wilde, 
Breedes  dreadfull  doubts:  oft  fire  is  without  smoke, 
And  perill  without  show:  therefore  your  stroke, 
Sir  knight,  with-hold,  till  further  tryall  made." 
"Ah  ladie,"  sayd  he,  u shame  were  to  revoke 
The  forward  footing  for  an  hidden  shade: 
Yertue  gives  her  selfe  light  through  darknesse  for  to  wata.* 


10.  3.  Weening.— Thinking.    A.S.  wenan.  to  hope,  expect. 

10.  7.  Doubt.— Fear,  suspect,  often  used  by  Spenser  in  the 
Jx>w  LM  dubito,  to  fear;  Fr.  redout er. 

11.  1.  Fare.— Go.    A.S.  faran,  Ger.  fahren,  to  go. 

11.  4.  Like  to  lead,  etc.— That  is,  like  to  lead  them  round  about  th* 
mazes  of  the  labyrinth  till  they  came  to  its  outlet. 
11.  5.  Tract.— Trace,  beaten  path. 
11.  8.  -EffcBoonea.— Soon  after,  straightway.  lift,  same  as  aft.  A.S.  «tbA 


16  THE  FAERIE   QUEENE. 

xm 
"  Yea  but,"  quoth  she,  "  the  perill  of  this  place 
I  better  wot  then  you:  though  nowe  too  late 
To  wish  you  backe  returne  with  foule  disgrace, 
Yet  wisedome  warnes,  whilest  foot  is  in  the  gate, 
To  stay  the  steppe,  ere  forced  to  retrate. 
This  is  the  wandring  wood,  this  Errours  den, 
A.  monster  vile,  whom  God  and  man  does  hate 
Therefore  I  read  beware."    "Fly,  fly,"  quoth  then 
The  fearefull  dwarf e,  "  This  is  no  place  for  living  men.* 

xrv. 
But,  full  of  fire  and  greedy  hardiment 
The  youthfull  knight  could  not  for  ouglr  be  ^aarJej 
But  forth  unto  the  darksom  hole  he  went> 
And  looked  in:  his  glistring  armor  made 
A  litle  glooming  light,  much  like  a  shade; 
By  which  he  saw  the  ugly  monster  plaine, 
Halfe  like  a  serpent  horribly  displaide, 
But  th'other  halfe  did  womans  shape  retaine, 
Most  lothsom,  rilthie,  foule,  and  full  of  vile  disdaina 

XV. 

And,  as  she  lay  upon  the  durtie  ground, 
Her  huge  long  taile  her  den  all  overspred, 
Yet  was  in  knots  and  many  boughtes  upwoundj 
Pointed  with  mortall  sting.     Of  her  there  bred 
A  thousand  yong  ones,  which  she  dayly  fed, 
Sucking  upon  her  poisnous  dugs;  each  one 
Of  sundrie  shapes,  yet  all  ill-favored: 

13.  2.  Wot.— Know.    A.S.  witan;  hence  wit. 

13.  8.  Read.— Advise.    See  Introduction,  note  i.  ?. 

14.,  1.  Greedy  hardiment.— Hardiness,  or  hardihood,  greedy  or  eagei 
for  an  adventure. 

14.  5.  Glooming  light. — Compare  Sc.  gloaming,  twilight. 

14.  6.  The  ugly  monster.— Falsehood  or  Error.    Her  shape  is  sup- 

?osed  to  be  taken  from  Hesiod's  monster,  Echidna.    See  alio  Rev.  ix. 
-10. 

14.  9.  Full  of  vile  disdaine.— Calculated  to  fill  an  onlooker  with  vile 
disdain. 

15.  3.  Boughtes.— Bends,  folds.    Allied  to  bough  and  bow,  from  A.& 
bugan,  to  bend;  Sc.  bucht,  a  sheep-/oZd. 

15.  4.  Bred. — Were  bred  or  born. 

15.  7.  Of  sundrie   shapes. — Prob.  meaning  that   each   one  could 
assume  various  shapes;  error  is  manifold. 


THE   FAERIE   QUEEtfE.  XT 

Soone  as  that  uncouth  light  upon  them  shone, 

Into  her  mouth  they  crept,  and  suddain  all  were  gone* 

XVI. 

Their  dam  upstart  out  of  her  den  effraide, 
And  rushed  forth,  hurling  her  hideous  taile 
About  her  cursed  head;  whose  folds  displaid 
Were  stretcht  now  forth  at  length  without  entraile. 
She  lookt  about,  and  seeing  one  in  mayle, 
Armed  to  point,  sought  backe  to  turne  againe; 
For  light  she  hated  as  the  deadly  bale, 
Ay  wont  in  desert  darknes  to  remaine, 
Where  plain  none  might  her  see,  nor  she  see  any  plaine. 

XVII. 
Which  when  the  valiant  elf e  perceiv'd,  he  lept 
As  lyon  fierce  upon  the  flying  pray, 
And  with  his  trenchand  blade  her  boldly  kept 
From  turning  backe,  and  forced  her  to  stay: 
Therewith  enrag'd  she  loudly  gan  to  bray, 
And  turning  fierce  her  speckled  taile  advaunst, 
Threatning  her  angrie  sting,  him  to  dismay; 
Who,  nought  aghast,  his  mightie  hand  enhaunst: 
The  stroke  down  from  her  head  unto  hei  shoulder  glaunftt 

XV1I1. 

Much  daunted  with  that  dint  her  sence  was  dazd; 
Yet  kindling  rage  her  selfe  she  gathered  round, 
And  all  attonce  her  beastly  bodie  raizd 
With  double  forces  high  above  the  ground: 

15.  8.  Uncouth.— Unknown,  unwonted.  A.S.  uncudh—un,  not,  and 
cudhy  gecudh,  known — cunnan,  to  know. 

16.  1.  Upstart.— Upstarted— effraide,  frightened  ;  Fr.  effrayer%  to 
terrify. 

16.  4.  Without  entraile.— Untwisted,  without  folds. 
16.  6.  To  point.— At  all  points,  completely. 

16.  7.  Bale.— Evil,  calamity.    A.S.  bealo,  Ice.  667,  woe,  evil. 

17.  1.  Elfe.— Called  so  because  he  belongs  to  Fairy  Land. 

17.  3.  Trenchand.— Trenchant,  cutting,  keen.  Old  Fr.  trencher,  %o 
cut:  perhaps  from  L.  truncus,  a  trunk. 

17.  5.  Bray.— Make  a  loud  noise,  not  necessarily  like  that  made  by  an 
ass. 

17.  8.  Enhaunst.— Lifted  up.  ProD.  connected  with  Fr.  haimer,  to 
raise,  from  haut,  high. 

18.  3.  Attonce.— At  once. 


18  THE  FAERIE  QUEEtfE. 

Tho,  wrapping  up  her  wrethed  sterne  arownd, 

Lept  fierce  upon  his  shield,  and  her  huge  traine 

All  suddenly  about  his  body  wound, 

That  hand  or  foot  to  stirr  he  strove  in  vaine. 

God  helpe  the  man  so  wrapt  in  Errours  endlesse  trainet 

XIX. 

His  lady,  sad  to  see  his  sore  constraint, 
Cride  out,  "  Now,  now,  Sir  knight,  shew  what  ye  bee; 
Add  faith  unto  your  force,  and  be  not  faint; 
Strangle  her,  els  she  sure  will  strangle  thee." 
That  when  he  heard,  in  great  perplexitie, 
His  gall  did  grate  for  grief e  and  high  disdaine; 
Aad,  knitting  all  his  force,  got  one  hand  free, 
Wherewith  he  grypt  her  gorge  with  so  great  paine, 
That  soone  to  loose  her  wicked  bands  did  her  constraine. 

xx. 

Therewith  she  spewd  out  of  her  filthie  maw 
A  floud  of  poyson  horrible  and  blacke, 
Full  of  great  lumps  of  flesh  and  gobbets  raw, 
Which  stunck  of  vildly,  that  it  forst  him  slacke 
His  grasping  hold,  and  from  her  turne  him  backe : 
Her  vomit  full  of  bookes  and  papers  was, 
With  loathly  frogs  and  toades,  which  eyes  did  lack©. 
And  creeping  sought  way  in  the  weedy  gras: 
Her  filthie  parbreake  all  the  place  defiled  has. 

XXI. 

As  when  old  father  Nilus  gins  to  swell 
With  timely  pride  above  the  Aegyptian  vale, 
His  fattie  waves  doe  fertile  slime  outwell, 

18.  5.  Tho.— Then.    Old  Eng.  dho,  A.S.  thonne. 
18.  6.  Traine Tail. 

18.  9.  Traine.— Deceit,  snare. 

19.  6.  Gall.— Bile,  choler,  anger.— did  grate,  was  strongly  roused. 

19.  8.  Gorge — Throat. 

20.  3.  Gobbets.— Mouthfuls,  little  lumps.    Old  Eng.  gob,  GaeJ    gob. 
the  mouth.    Connected  with  gobble. 

20.  4.  Vildly Vilely. 

80.  6.  Bookes  and  papers.— Alluding,  no  doubt,  to  the  many  Itom*J| 
Catholic  publications  against' the  Reformed  Church  of  England. 
20.  7.  Loathly.— Loathsome. 

5-  !•  £*![br*£ke^rYomit-  To  Parb^e &  roeww  to  break  t ertb, 
§1.  8.  Ofttwtli.— Well  out,  esu4t. 


THE  FAERIE  QUEENS.  IS 

And  overflow  each  plaine  and  lowly  dale: 

But,  when  his  later  spring  gins  to  avale, 

Huge  heapes  of  mudd  he  leaves,  wherein  there  breed 

Ten  thousand  kindes  of  creatures,  partly  male 

And  partly  f email,  of  his  fruitful  seed; 

Such  ugly  monstrous  shapes  elswher  may  no  man  reed. 

xxn. 

The  same  so  sore  annoyed  has  the  knight, 
That,  welnigh  choked  with  the  deadly  stinke, 
His  forces  faile,  ne  can  no  lenger  fight: 
Whose  corage  when  the  feend  perceivd  to  shrinke, 
She  poured  forth  out  of  her  hellish  sinke 
Her  fruitf ull  cursed  spawne  of  serpents  small, 
(Deformed  monsters,  fowle,  and  blacke  as  inke,) 
Which  swarming  all  about  his  legs  did  crall, 
And  him  encombred  sore,  but  could  not  hurt  at  alL 

xxm. 

As  gentle  shepheard  in  sweete  eventide, 
When  ruddy  Phebus  gins  to  welke  in  west, 
High  on  an  hill,  his  flocke  to  vewen  wide, 
Markes  which  doe  byte  their  hasty  supper  best; 
A  cloud  of  cumbrous  gnattes  doe  him  molest, 
All  striving  to  infixe  their  feeble  stinges, 
That  from  their  noyance  he  no  where  can  rest; 
But  with  his  clownish  hands  their  tender  wings 
He  brusheth  oft,  and  oft  doth  mar  their  muxinurings. 

xxrv. 

Thus  ill  bestedd,  and  fearefull  more  of  shame 
Then  of  the  certeine  perill  he  stood  in, 
Halfe  furious  unto  his  foe  he  came, 
Resolvd  in  minde  all  suddenly  to  win, 

21.  5.  But,  when,  etc.— That  is,  but  when  the  last  of  his  tide  begins 
to  fall  or  abate,  or,  when  the  inundation  subsides. — Avale— lit.,  to  descend 
to  the  vale,  to  lower,  go  down;  Fr.  aval,  downwards,  old  Fr.  avaler,  to 
descend ;  from  L.  ad,  to,  vallis,  a  vale. 

21.  9.  Reed. — Find  out,  discover.    See  Introduction,  note  i.  7. 

22.  3.  Ne.— Nor. 

23.  2.  Phoebus — The  sun ;  a  name  of  Apollo.  See  II,  xxix.  Z.—welk*, 
fade.  Old  Eng.  welyen,  to  wither,  A.S.  wealowegan,  to  roll  up,  withe*.* 
wallow. 

38.  7.  Noyance.— Annoyance. 


20  THE  FAERIE  QtJEEKE. 

Or  soone  to  lose,  before  he  once  would  lin ; 

And  stroke  at  her  with  more  then  manly  force, 

That  from  her  body,  f uil  of  filthie  sin, 

He  raft  her  hatefull  heade  without  remorse: 

A  streame  of  cole- black  blood  forth  gushed  from  her  corse. 

XXV. 

Her  scattered  brood,  soone  as  their  parent  deare 
They  saw  so  rudely  falling  to  the  ground, 
Groning  full  deadly  all  with  troublous  feare 
Gathred  themselves  about  her  body  round, 
Weening  their  wonted  entrance  to  have  found 
At  her  wide  mouth;  but,  being  there  withstood, 
They  flocked  all  about  her  bleeding  wound, 
And  sucked  up  ther  dying  mothers  bloud; 
Making  her  death  their  life,  and  eke  her  hurt  their  good. 

XXVI. 

That  detestable  sight  him  much  amazde, 
To  see  th'unkindly  impes,  of  heaven  accurst, 
Devoure  their  dam;  on  whom  while  so  he  gazd, 
Having  all  satisfide  their  bloudy  thurst, 
Their  bellies  swolne  he  saw  with  fulnesse  burst 
And  bowels  gushing  forth :  well  worthy  end 
Of  such,  as  drunke  her  life,  the  which  them  nurst! 
Now  needeth  him  no  lenger  labour  spend, 
His  foes  have  slaine  themselves,  with  whom  he  should  contend 


His  lady  seeing  all  that  chaunst  from  farre, 
Approcht  in  hast  to  greet  his  victorie; 
And  saide,  "  Faire  knight,  borne  under  happie  starre, 
Who  see  your  vanquisht  foes  before  you  lye, 
Well  worthie  be  you  of  that  armory, 

24.  5.  Iiin.— Stop.    Sc.  blin:  A.S.  linnan,  to  cease. 
24.  6.  Stroke.— Struck;  old  past  tense  strook. 
24.  8.  Raft.— Reft,  snatched ;  pa.t.  of  reave. 
2C.  2.  Impes.    See  Introduction,  note  iii.  1. 

26.  7.  Which  here  refers  to  her;  in  Spenser's  time  it  was  frequently 
vsed  for  who,  as  in  "  Our  Father  which  art."  etc. 

26.  9.  Should  contend.— That  is,  should  have  (otherwise)  contended. 

27.  1.  Chaunst.— Took  place,  happened. 

27.  5.  Armory.— Armor.    See  Author's  Letter. 


THE   FAERIE   QUEEKB.  2-1 

Wherein  ye  have  great  glory  wonne  this  day, 
And  prov'd  your  strength  on  a  strong  enimie, 
Your  first  adventure  •  many  such  I  pray, 
And  henceforth  ever  wish  that  like  succeed  it  may!" 

xxvin. 
Then  mounted  he  upon  his  steede  againe, 
A.nd  with  the  lady  backward  sought  to  wend: 
That  path  he  kept,  which  beaten  was  most  plaine, 
Ne  ever  would  to  any  byway  bend ; 
But  still  did  follow  one  unto  the  end, 
The  which  at  last  out  of  the  wood  them  brought. 
So  forward  on  his  way  (with  God  to  frend) 
He  passed  forth,  and  new  adventure  sought: 
Long  way  he  travelled,  before  he  heard  of  ought 

XXIX. 

At  length  they  ehaunst  to  meet  upon  the  way 
An  aged  sire,  in  long  blacke  ^eedes  yclad, 
His  feete  all  bare,  his  beard  all  hoarie  gray, 
And  by  his  belt  his  booke  he  hanging  had; 
Sober  he  seemde,  arid  very  sagely  sad ; 
And  to  the  ground  his  eyes  were  lowly  bent. 
Simple  in  shew,  and  voide  of  malice  bad; 
And  all  the  way  he  prayed  as  he  went, 
And  often  knockt  his  brest,  as  one  that  did  repent. 

XXX. 

He  faire  the  knight  saluted,  louting  low, 
Who  faire  him  quited,  as  that  courteous  was: 
And  after  asked  him,  if  he  did  know 
Of  straunge  adventures,  which  abroad  did  pas. 

27.  9.  That  like,  etc.— That  is,  that  like  victories  may  succeed  It. 

28.  2.  Wend.— Go.  A.S.  wendan,  to  go,  mend,  a  turn;  hence  went 
toind. 

28.  4.  Ne.-Nor. 

28.  7.  To  frend.— Either  for  a  friend,  or  to  befriend ;  prob.  the  former. 

29.  2.  An  aged  sire.— Archimago,  in  the  guise  of  a  monk,  the  prince 
of  magicians  or  enchanters,  prob.  representative  of  the  pope  or  of  the 
Father  of  Lies.  This  adventure  is  taken  from  Ariosto's  Orlando  Furioso. 
—yclad.    See  I.  i.  2. 

29.  5.  Sad.    See  I.  ii.  8. 

30.  1.  Iiouting.— Bowing.  Prov.  Eng.  lout,  to  bow;  A.S.  lutan,  to  bow 
50.  2.  Quited.— Recjuitea,  returned  his  salutation, 


22  THE   FAERIE   QUEENE. 

"Ah!  my  dear  sonne,"  quoth  he,  "  how  should,  alas: 

Silly  old  man,  that  lives  in  hidden  cell, 

Bidding  his  beades  all  day  for  his  trespas, 

Tydings  of  wane  and  worldly  trouble  tell? 

With  holy  father  sits  not  with  such  thinges  to  meH. 

XXXI. 

u  But  if  of  daunger,  which  hereby  doth  dwell, 
And  homebredd  evil  ye  desire  to  heare, 
Of  a  straunge  man  I  can  you  tidings  tell, 
That  wasteth  all  this  countrie,  farre  and  neare." 
" Of  suche,"  saide  he,  "I  chiefly  doe  inquere; 
And  shall  thee  well  rewarde  to  shew  the  place, 
In  which  that  wicked  wight  his  dayes  doth  weare: 
For  to  all  knighthood  it  is  foule  disgrace, 
That  such  a  cursed  creature  lives  so  long  a  space." 


"Far  hence,"  quoth  he,  "  in  wastfull  wildernesse 
His  dwelling  is,  by  which  no  livia£  wight 
May  ever  passe,  but  thorough  great  distresse." 
"Now,"  saide  the  ladie,  "  draweth  toward  night; 
And  well  I  wote,  that  of  your  later  fight 
Ye  all  for  wearied  be;  for  what  so  strong, 
But,  wanting  rest,  will  also  want  of  might? 
The  sunne,  that  measures  heaven  all  day  long, 
At  night  doth  baite  his  steedes  the  ocean  waves  emong. 

XXXIII. 

"Then  with  the  sunne  take,  Sir,  your  timely  rest, 
And  with  new  day  new  worke  at  once  begin: 
Untroubled  night,  they  say,  gives  counsell  best." 

Right  well,  Sir  knight,  ye  have  advised  bin," 

30.  6.  Silly — Simple. 

30.  7.  Bidding  his  beades.— Saying,  or  rather,  praying  his  prayers. 
Bead,  a  prayer,  and  then  the  little  ball  on  which  prayers  are  counted,  ia 
from  A.S.  bead,  gebed,  a  prayer,  from  biddan,  to  ask,  to  pray,  entreat, 
the  root  of  bid. 

80.  9.  Sits  not.— "It  sits  not,"  "it  is  not  becoming."  Fr.  il  sied.  it 
Bits  well,  is  becoming.— meW,  meddle.  Fr.  meler;  old  Fr.  medler,  mesler; 
Low  L.  misculare,  from  misceo,  to  mix. 

32.  3.  Thorough.— Through.  Old  Eng.  thurgh,  thorowe;  A.S.  thurh, 
thorh;  Ger.  durch. 

32.  4.  Draweth.—"  It  draweth." 

32.  5.  Wote.— Know.    See  note  I.  xiii.  2. 

&  6.  For  wearied.— Utterly  wearied  or  exhausted.    See  note  L  v.  & 


THE  FAERIE  QUEENB.  23 

Quoth  then  that  aged  man;  "  the  way  to  win 

I«  wisely  to  advise;  now  day  is  spent; 

Therefore  with  me  ye  may  take  up  your  in 

For  this  same  night."    The  knight  was  well  content 

So  with  that  godly  father  to  his  home  they  went 

xxxrv. 
A  litle  lowly  hermitage  it  was, 
Downe  in  a  dale,  hard  by  a  forests  side, 
Far  from  resort  of  people  that  did  pas 
In  traveill  to  and  froe:  a  little  wyde 
There  was  an  holy  chappell  edifyde, 
Wherein  the  hermite  dewly  wont  to  say 
His  holy  thinges  each  morne  and  eventyde: 
Thereby  a  christall  streame  did  gently  play, 
Which  from  a  sacred  fountaine  welled  forth  alway. 

XXXV. 

Arrived  there,  the  litle  house  they  fill, 
Ke  looke  for  entertainement,  where  none  was; 
Rest  is  their  feast,  and  all  thinges  at  their  will: 
The  noblest  mind  the  best  contentment  has. 
With  faire  discourse  the  evening  so  they  pas; 
For  that  olde  man  of  pleasing  wordes  had  store, 
And  well  could  file  his  tongue  as  smooth  as  glas: 
He  told  of  saintes  and  popes,  and  evermore 
He  strowd  an  Ave-Mary  after  and  before. 

XXXVI. 

The  drouping  night  thus  creepeth  on  them  fast; 
And  the  sad  humor  loading  their  eyeliddes, 

33.  7.  In  or  inn.  —  Lodging,  abode  ;  often  used  in  the  sense  of 
iiouse  or  lodging  by  old  writers,  as  also  the  verb  to  inn  —  to  lodge 
Hence  the  significance  of  the  phrase,  "to  take  one's  ease  in  one's  inn." 

34.  4.  Wyde.— Apart,  at  a  distance. 

34.  5.  Edifyde.  —  Built,  in  its  lit.  and  orig.  sense,  from  L.  cedes,  a 
house,  and  facio,  to  make. 

34.  6.  Wont.— Was  wont. 

35.  2.  Ne.-Nor. 

35.  3.  Best,  etc.— That  is,  prob.,  rest  satisfied  all  their  longings. 
35.  7.  File.— Polish  or  smooth. 

35.  9.  Are-Mary.—"  Hail  Mary,"  a  salutation  to  the  Virgin. 

36.  2,  3.  And  the  sad  humor,  etc.— This  refers  to  the  ancient  fables 
About  Morpheus,  the  god  of  sleep  and  dreams,  who  is  represented  as  a 
wlsjjnd  sic  man  carrying  a  horn,  and  sprinkling  the  time! v  dew  of  sleep 


Z4:  THE  FAERIE   QUEEKE. 

As  messenger  of  Morpheus,  on  them  cast 

Sweet  slombring  deaw,  the  which  to  sleep  them  bidden 

Unto  their  lodgings  then  his  guestes  he  riddes: 

Where  when  all  drownd  in  deadly  sleepe  he  findes, 

He  to  his  studie  goes;  and  there  amiddes 

His  magick  bookes,  and  artes  of  sundrie  kindes, 

He  seekes  out  mighty  charmes  to  trouble  sleepy  minda 

xxxv  11. 

Then  choosing  out  few  words  most  horrible, 
\Let  none  them  read)  thereof  did  verses  frame; 
With  which,  and  other  spelles  like  terrible, 
He  bad  awake  blacke  Plutoes  griesly  Dame; 
And  cursed  heven ;  and  spake  reprochf ul  shame 
Of  highest  God,  the  Lord  of  life  and  light. 
A  bold  bad  man,  that  dar'd  to  call  by  name 
Great  Gorgon,  prince  of  darknes  and  dead  night; 
JLt  which  Cocytus  quakes,  and  Styx  is  put  to  flight 


And  forth  he  cald  out  of  deepe  darknes  dredd 
Legions  of  Sprights,  the  which,  like  litle  flyes 
Pluttring  about  his  ever-damned  hedd, 
Awaite  whereto  their  service  he  applyes, 
To  aide  his  friendes,  or  fray  his  enimies: 

on  wearied  eyelids  from  his  wings,  or  his  horn,  or  from  a  bough  he  car. 
ried  dipped  in  Lethe,  the  river  of  f  orgetfulness.  Humor  here  simply 
means  moisture,  dew.    Sad  =  heavy.    See  I.  ii.  8. 

36.  5.— Riddes.— Delivers,  takes,  removes.  A.S.  Areddan,  to  deliver? 
Dan.  redde;  Sc.  red,  to  clear  away. 

3?.  3.  Like.— Alike. 

37.  4.  Plutoes  griesly  Dame.- That  is, Proserpine,  daughter  of  Zeu& 
(L.  Jupiter)  and  Demeter  (L.  Ceres),  whom  Pluto  is  fabled  to  have  car- 
ried off  as  she  was  gathering  flowers  on  the  plains  of  Enna,  in  Sicily. 
She  is  represented  as  the  all-pervading  goddess  of  nature,  who  produces 
and  destroys  everything,  and,  in  connection  with  Hecate,  she  is  some- 
times described  as  a  powerful,  infernal,  and  cruel  deity,  who  has  all  the 
magic  powers  of  heaven,  earth,  and  sea  at  her  command.  In  this  latter 
character  she  figures  here.  Pluto  is  the  god  of  Hades,  the  realm  of 
darkness  and  ghostly  shades,  and  rules  the  spirits  of  the  dead. 

37.  8.  Gorgon.— Not  Medusa,  but  Demogorgon,  an  evil  divinity  who 
ruled  the  spirits  of  darkness,  and  whose  name  the  ancients  were  super- 
stitiously  fearful  of  uttering. 

37.  9.  Cocytus.— A  river  of  the  infernal  regions,  a  branch  of  the  Styx, 
from  Gr.  kokytos,  wailing.  —Styx,  from  Gr.  stygeo,  to  shudder  at,  hate,  a 
river  of  Hades,  or  the  Infernal  Regions,  round  which  it  flowed  seven 
times,  and  over  which  departed  shades  were  ferried  by  Charon. 

88.  5.  Fray.— Frighten.    See  I.  ^xk  1 


THE   FAEKIE   QUEEKK.  25 

Of  those  he  chose  out  two,  the  falsest  twoo, 
And  fittest  for  to  forge  true-seeming  lyes; 
The  one  of  them  he  gave  a  message  to, 
The  other  by  him  selfe  staide  other  worke  to  doo. 

XXXIX. 

He,  making  speedy  way  through  spersed  ayre, 
And  through  the  world  of  waters  wide  and  deepe, 
To  Morpheus  house  doth  hastily  repaire. 
Amid  the  bowels  of  the  earth  full  steepe, 
And  low,  where  dawning  day  doth  never  peepe, 
His  dwelling  is;  there  Tethys  his  wet  bed 
Doth  ever  wash,  and  Cynthia  still  doth  steepe 
In  silver  deaw  his  ever-drouping  hed, 
Whiles  sad  Night  over  him  her  mantle  black  doth  spredL 

XL. 

Whose  double  gates  he  findeth  locked  fast; 
The  one  faire  f  ram'd  of  burnisht  yvory, 
The  other  all  with  silver  overcast ; 
And  wakeful  dogges  before  them  farre  doe  lye, 
Watching  to  banish  Care  their  enimy, 
Who  oft  is  wont  to  trouble  gentle  Sleepe. 
By  them  the  sprite  doth  passe  in  quietly, 
And  unto  Morpheus  comes,  whom  drowned  deepe 
In  drowsie  fit  he  findes;  of  nothing  he  takes  keepe. 

XLI. 

And,  more  to  lulle  him  in  his  slumber  soft, 
A  trickling  streame  from  high  rock  tumbling  downe, 


39.  1.  Spersed.— Dispersed,  scattered.  L.  spargo,  sparsus,  to  scatter, 
spread. 

39.  3.  Morpheus.    See  I.  xxvi.  2. 

39.  6.  Tethys,— Daughter  of  Uranus  (heaven)  and  Ge  (earth),  and  wife 
of  Oceanus,  the  ocean,  to  which  her  name,  as  here,  is  often  applied. 

39.  7.  Cynthia.— The  goddess  of  the  moon,  fabled  to  have  been  born 
at  Mount  Cynthus,  in  Greece.    She  is  also  called  Artemis  and  Diana. 

40.  1.  Whose*  double  gates,  etc.— That  is,  of  Morpheus's  dwelling- 
place,  which  was  supposed  to  have  two  gates,  one  of  horn  (overcast  by 
Spenser  with  silver),  from  which  proceeded  true  dreams;  the  other  ofi 
jvory,  from  which  came  false  dreams. 

'    40.  4.  Before  them  farre.— Far  in  front. 
40.  9.  Keepe,— Ore,  lj©ed.    A.$.  oe&m*  tQ  regard;  So.  kq?et  care. 


26  THE  FAERIE   QUEERS. 

And  ever-drizling  raine  upon  the  loft, 

Mixt  with  a  murmuring  winde,  much  like  the  sowne 

Of  swarming  bees,  did  cast  him  in  a  swowne. 

No  other  noyse,  nor  peoples  troublous  cryes, 

As  still  are  wont  t'  annoy  the  walled  towne, 

Might  there  be  heard;  but  carelesse  Quiet  lyes 

Wrapt  in  eternal!  silence  farre  from  enimyes. 

xm. 

The  messenger  approching  to  him  spake; 
But  his  waste  wordes  retournd  to  him  in  vaine: 
So  sound  he  slept,  that  nought  mought  him  awake. 
Then  rudely  he  him  thrust,  and  pusht  with  paine, 
Whereat  he  gan  to  stretch:  but  he  againe 
Shooke  him  so  hard,  that  forced  him  to  speake. 
As  one  then  in  a  dreame,  whose  dryer  braine 
Is  tost  with  troubled  sights  and  fancies  weake, 
He  mumbled  soft,  but  would  not  all  his  silence  breake. 

XXIII. 

The  sprite  then  gan  more  boldly  him  to  wake, 
And  threatned  unto  him  the  dreaded  name 
Of  Hecate:  whereat  he  gan  to  quake, 
And,  lifting  up  his  lompish  head,  with  blame 
Halfe  angrie  asked  him,  for  what  he  came. 
" Hether,"  quoth  he,  "me  Archimago  sent, 
He  that  the  stubborne  sprites  can  wisely  tame, 
He  bids  thee  to  him  send  for  his  intent 
A  fit  false  dreame,  that  can  delude  the  sleepers  sent." 


41.  3.  Upon  the  loft — Aloft,  on  high,  in  the  air.  Allied  to  lift;  A.S 
tyft ,  Ger.  luft,  Sc.  lift,  the  air,  sky,  that  which  is  lifted  up. 

41.  4.  Sownfe.- Sound.    A.S.  and  Fr.  son;  L.  sonus. 

42.  3.  Mought.— Might.  Old  Eng.  moghte,  moughte,  mighte%  pa.t.  ot 
mogen,  to  be  able,  may. 

42.  6.  That  forced  =  that  he  forced. 

43.  3.  Hecate.  See  I.  xxxvii.  4.  She  was  an  ancient  Gr.  goddess,  daugh- 
ter of  a  Titan  and  Night.  As  an  infernal  goddess,  she  was  represented 
with  serpents  issuing  from  her  feet  and  twined  in  her  hair,  a  lighted  torch 
and  a  sword  in  her  hand,  and  two  black  shaggy  dogs  as  attendants.  She 
was  believed  to  send  forth  at  night  from  the  lower  world  all  kinds  of 
demons  and  terrible  phantoms,  who  taught  sorcery  and  witchcraft. 

43.  6.  Archimago.    See  I.  xxix.  2. 

4&  9.  Sent.— Scent,  aeaae,  fenjMtfon,  perception.  U  wrvtu*.  from 
jenHa,  to  feel,  peroeiTe.  w       w 


THE  FAERIE  QUEEKE.  27 


XLIV. 

The  god  obayde;  and,  calling  forth  straight  way 
A  diverse  dreame  out  of  his  prison  darke, 
Delivered  it  to  him,  and  downe  did  lay 
His  heavie  head,  devoide  of  careful  carke; 
Whose  sences  all  were  straight  benumbd  and  starke. 
He,  backe  returning  by  the  yvorie  dore, 
Remounted  up  as  light  as  chearefull  larke; 
And  on  his  litle  winges  the  dreame  he  bore 
In  hast  unto  his  lord,  where  he  him  left  afore. 

XLV. 

Who  all  this  while,  with  charmes  and  hidden  artes, 
Had  made  a  lady  of  that  other  spright, 
And  fram'd  of  liquid  ayre  her  tender  partes, 
So  lively,  and  so  like  in  all  mens  sight, 
That  weaker  sence  it  could  have  ravisht  quight: 
The  maker  selfe,  for  all  his  wondrous  witt, 
Was  nigh  beguiled  with  so  goodly  sight. 
Her  all  in  white  he  clad,  and  over  it 
Cast  a  black  stole,  most  like  to  seeme  for  Una  fit. 

XLVI. 

Now,  when  that  ydle  dreame  was  to  him  brought, 
Unto  that  elfin  knight  he  bad  him  fly, 
Where  he  slept  soundly  void  of  evil  thought, 
And  with  false  shewes  abuse  his  fantasy, 
In  sort  as  he  him  schooled  privily. 
«And  that  new  creature,  borne  without  her  dew, 

44.  2.  A  diverse  dream.— A  diverting  or  distracting  dream,  one  that 
would  bewilder  the  senses. 

44.  4.  Carke.— Care,  anxiety;  A.S.  care. 

44.  5.  Starke.— Stiff,  rigid,  as  in  death.  A.S.  stare,  stearc,  strong. 
hard;  Ger.  stark;  old  Ger.  starr,  stiff. 

44.  9.  Afore.— Before,    Prob.  A.S.  cet-fore,  at  the  fore  or  former  time. 

45.  4.  So  lively,  etc.— Perhaps  =  so  life-like  ;  or  like  may  be  =  the 
modern  likely,  seemly,  comely. 

45.  9.  Stole.  See  I.  iv.  5.— Una— the  first  time  the  name  of  the  knight's 
fair  companion  is  mentioned. 

48.  2.  Elfin  knight.— Called  so,  as  coming  from  Elf  or  Fairy  Land. 

46.  5.  In  sort  a^.— Like  as,  in  the  manner  that. 

46.  6.  Borne  without  her  dew. — Born  or  produced  not  according 
to  the  due  course  of  nature— that  is,  unnaturally;  or  born  without  the 
dw»  and  proper  qualities  of  a  real  woman;  a  deceit. 


28  THE  FAERIE  QUEENE. 

Full  of  the  makers  guyle,  with  usage  sly 

He  taught  to  imitate  that  lady  trew, 

Whose  semblance  she  did  came  under  feigned  hew. 

XLvn. 
Thus,  well  instructed.to  their  worke  they  haste; 
And,  comming  where  the  knight  in  slomber  lay, 
The  one  upon  his  hardie  head  him  plaste, 
And  made  him  dreame  of  loves  and  lustfull  play, 
That  nigh  his  manly  hart  did  melt  away. 


XLIX. 

In  this  great  passion  of  unwonted  lust, 
Or  wonted  feare  of  doing  ought  amis, 
He  starteth  up,  as  seeming  to  mistrust 
Some  secret  ill,  or  hidden  foe  of  his. 
Lo!  there  before  his  face  his  ladie  is, 
Under  blacke  stole  hyding  her  bay  ted  hooke; 
And  as  halfe  blushing  offred  him  to  kis, 
With  gentle  blandishment  and  lovely  looke, 
Most  like  that  virgin  true,  which  for  her  knight  him  took. 

L. 

All  cleane  dismayd  to  see  so  uncouth  sight, 
And  half  enraged  at  her  shamelesse  guise, 
He  thought  have  slaine  her  in  his  fierce  despight; 
But,  hastie  heat  tempring  with  sufferance  wise, 

46.  7.  Usage  sly  .—Artful  conduct,  trickery. 

47.  3.  The  one.— That  is,  the  Dream,  which  placed  himself  by  the 
knight's  head,  as  being  the  seat  of  the  brain,  which  he  filled  with  foul 
dreams. 

47.  5.  That.— The  false  Una. 

49.  1,  2.  In  this  great  passion,  etc.— The  effect  of  the  wanton 
dream,  lust  being  an  unwonted  or  unusual  passion  with  this  pure  knight, 
who,  however,  as  the  second  line  says,  was  always  afraid  of  doing 
44  ought  amiss.  '  Ought  should  strictly  be  aught  =  anything,  from  A.S. 
aht,  awiht. 

49.  3.  Mistrust. — Suspect. 

50.  1.  All.— Altogether.— cleane,  quite.— uncout h.    See  I.  xv.  8. 

50.  3.  Thought  have  =  "thought  to  have." — despight,  great  spite, 
contempt,  or  anger.  Fr.  d4pity  despit,  from  L.  despicio,  to  look  down  on 
—that  is,  with  contempt. 

50.  4.  But,  hastie  heat,  etc.— That  is,  tempering  his  hasty  anger 
with  wise  forbearance. 


THE  FAERIE   QUEENE.  2C 

He  stayde  his  hand;  and  gan  himself e  advise 
To  prove  his  sense,  and  tempt  her  faigned  truth. 
Wringing  her  hands,  in  wemens  pitteous  wise, 
Tho  can  she  weepe,  to  stirre  up  gentle  ruth 
Both  for  her  noble  blood,  and  for  her  tender  youth. 

LL 

And  sayd,  "  Ah  Sir,  my  liege  lord,  and  my  love, 
Shall  I  accuse  the  hidden  cruell  fate, 
And  mightie  causes  wrought  in  heaven  above, 
Or  the  blind  god,  that  doth  me  thus  amate, 
For  hoped  love  to  winne  me  certaine  hate  ? 
Yet  thus  perforce  he  bids  me  do,  or  die. 
Die  is  my  dew;  yet  rew  my  wretched  state, 
You,  whom  my  hard  avenging  destinie 
Hath  made  judge  of  my  life  or  death  indifferently. 

LII. 

u  Your  owne  dear"  sake  forst  me  at  first  to  leave 
My  fathers  kingdom" — There  she  stopt  with  teares; 
Her  swollen  hart  her  speech  seemd  to  bereave; 
And  then  againe  begun;  "My  weaker  yeares, 
Captiv'd  to  fortune  and  frayle  worldly  feares, 
Fly  to  your  fayth  for  succour  and  sure  ayde: 
Let  me  not  die  in  languor  and  long  teares." 
"Why,  dame,"  quoth  he,  "what  hath  ye  thus  dismayd? 
What  frayes  ye,  that  were  wont  to  comfort  me  affray d?" 


50.  5.  Gan.— Began. 

50.  6.  To  prove  his  sense,  etc.— That  is,  to  test  the  evidence  of  his 
senses,  and  try  the  sincerity  of  her  professions. 

50.  8.  Can.— Gan  or  began.— ruth,  pity,  from  rue,  to  be  sorry  for;  A.S 
hreowan,  to  be  sorry  for;  Ger.  reue,  old  Ger.  hriuwa,  mourning. 

51.  4.  The  blind  god.— Cupid,  god  of  love,  often  represented  with 
bandaged  eyes. — amate,  stupefy,  infatuate.  Old  Fr.  mater,  to  confound, 
stupefy;  low  L.  mattus,  dull,  stupid;  Ger.  matt,  faint,  dull. 

51.  5.  For  hoped  love,  etc—That  is,  "  instead  of  the  love  I  hoped  to 
win,  I  have  won  myself  certain  hate." 

51.  7.  Die  =  to  die.— rew,  pity.    See  1. 1.  8. 

52.  1.  Your  owne  deare  sake,  etc.— This  is  false:  Una  knew  not  St. 
George  till  she  came  to  Fairy  Court. 

52.  3.  Bereave.— Take  away,  deprive  her  of.  A.S.  be,  and  refian,  to 
reave,  to  rob. 

52.  5.  Captiv'd  to  fortune.— Committed  as  a  captive  to  fortune  or 
chance. 

58.  ».  Frames.— Frightens.    See  L  xvi.  L 


30  THE   FAERIE   C^UEENE. 


lie 

"Love  of  your  selfe,"  she  saide,  '*  and  deare  constraint, 
Lets  me  not  sleepe,  but  waste  the  wearie  night 
In  secret  anguish  and  unpittied  plaint, 
Whiles  you  in  carelesse  sleepe  are  drowned  quight." 
Her  doubtfull  words  made  that  redoubted  knight 
Suspect  her  truth;  yet  since  no'  untruth  he  knew, 
Her  fawning  love  with  foule  disdainefull  spight 
He  would  not  shend;  but  said,  "  Deare  dame,  I  rew, 
That  for  my  sake  unknowne  such  griefe  unto  you  grew: 

liv. 

"  Assure  your  selfe,  it  fell  not  all  to  ground; 
For  all  so  deare  as  life  is  to  my  hart, 
I  deeme  your  love,  and  hold  me  to  you  bound : 
Ne  let  vaine  feares  procure  your  needlesse  smart, 
Where  cause  is  none;  but  to  your  rest  depart." 
Not  all  content,  yet  seemd  she  to  appease 
Her  mournefull  plaintes,  beguiled  of  her  art, 
And  fed  with  words  that  could  not  chose  but  please 
So,  slyding  softly  forth,  she  turnd  as  to  her  ease. 


LV. 

Long  after  lay  he  musing  at  her  mood, 
Much  griev'd  to  thinke  that  gentle  dame  so  light, 
For  whose  defence  he  was  to  shed  his  blood. 
At  last,  dull  wearines  of  former  fight 

53.  1.  Deare  constraint.— Pleasing  uneasiness  or  compulsion. 
63.  5.  Doubtfull.— Suspicious,  enigmatical.  i 

53.  7.  Spight.    See  i.  50.  3. 

53.  8.  Shend.— Reproach,  punish.  A.S.  scendan,  to  shame,  reproach 
revile ;  Ger.  schenden.—rew,  am  sorry.    See  1. 1.  8. 

53.  9.  Unknowne.— That  is,  unknown  to  him. 

54.  1.  It  fell  not  all  to  ground.— Was  not  thrown  away,  or  lost. 
54.  2.  All  so.— Altogether,  or  quite  as. 

54.  4.  Ne.— Nor.— needlesse  smart,  unnecessary  pain  or  grief.  Ger 
ichmerz,  old  Ger.  smerza,  pain. 

54.  6.  All.— By  any  means.— appease,  to  pacify,  to  cease  from.  Fr 
appaiser—paUc,  L.  pax,  peace. 

54.  7,  8.  Beguiled  of  her  art,  and  fed,  etc. — Cheated  out  of  an  op 
portunity  or  chance  to  use  the  arts  or  tricks  taught  her  by  Archimago 
and  fed  or  put  off  with  wor4§  tt*a.t  left  no  room  for  her  to  affect  djssatif 
faction. 


THB  FAERIE   QUEENB.  31 

Having  yrockt  asleepe  his  irkesome  spright, 

That  troublous  dreame  gan  freshly  tosse  his  braine 

With  bowres,  and  beds,  and  ladies  deare  delight: 

But,  when  he  saw  his  labour  all  was  vaine, 

With  that  misformed  spright  he  backe  return d  againe. 


CANTO  II. 

[The  knight,  maddened  by  Una's  supposed  unfaithfulness,  flees  by 
flight  along  with  her  dwarf.  On  the  way  they  encounter  the  false  Duessa 
—calling  herself  Fidessa— accompanied  by  the  Paynim  Sansf oy.  Th 
knight  encounters  the  latter,  and  slays  him;  Duessa  wins  him  by  her 
wiles,  and  they  ride  forth  together,  till  they  come  "  where  grew  two 
goodly  trees,"  under  the  shade  of  which  they  rest.  It  turns  out  that  the 
trees  were  once  two  lovers,  Fradubio  and  Fraelissa,  who,  by  the  witch- 
craft of  Duessa,  had  been  thus  transformed.] 

The  guilefull  great  Enchaunter  parts 

The  Redcrosse  Knight  from  Truth: 
Into  whose  stead  faire  Falshood  steps, 

And  workes  him  woef  ull  ruth. 

I. 

By  this  the  northerne  wagoner  had  set 
His  sevenfold  teme  behind  the  stedfast  starre 
That  was  in  ocean  waves  yet  never  wet, 
But  firme  is  fixt,  and  sendeth  light  from  farre 
To  al  that  in  the  wide  deepe  wandring  arre ; 
And  chearefull  chaunticlere  with  his  note  shrill 
Had  warned  once,  that  Phoebus  fiery  carre 

55.  5.  Yrockt.— Rocked.  See  I.  i.  2.—  irkesome  spright,  wearied  spirit. 
A.S.  earg,  dull;  Sc.  ergh,  to  feel  reluctant. 

55.  6.  Tosse.— Agitate,  disturb. 

55.  8.  He  saw.— That  is,  the  Dream,  who  is  here  personified  as  a 
spright. 

55.  9.  Misformed  spright.— The  feigned  Una. 


1.  1.  The  northerne  wagoner.— The  constellation  Bo6'tes,Gr.  =  Ox 
driver,  so  called  because,  in  ancient  mythology,  he  was  supposed  to  be 
the  driver  of  Charles's  Wain,  or  Wagon,  one  of  the  names  of  the  seven 
most  prominent  stars  in  the  Great  Bear.  He  was  also  supposed  to  have 
invented  the  Plough,  another  name  of  these  seven  stars,  along  with 
which  and  his  yoke  of  oxen,  he  was  transferred  to  heaven.  Bootes  was 
also  known  as  Arctophylax,  Gr.  =  Bear-keeper. 

1.  2.  His  sevenfold,  teme,  etc. — The  seven  stars  above  referred  to, 
represented  as  the  oxen  yoked  to  the  wagon  of  Bootes.  The  stedfast 
ttarre  is  the  pole-star,  which,  in  northern  latitudes,  is  always  above  the 
horizon,  and  hence  in  "  ocean  waves  yet  never  wet." 

1.  7.  Phoebus  fiery  carre.— The  sun,  which,  in  ancient  mythology, 
was  the  chariot  of  the  sun-god  Phoebus,  driven  by  him  daily  across  t»» 
heavens.    See  XI.  xxix.  8. 


33  TH3   FAERIE   QUEENE. 

In  hast  was  climbing  up  the  easterne  hill, 

Full  envious  that  night  so  long  his  roome  did  fill: 

n. 

When  those  accursed  messengers  of  hell, 
That  feigning  dreame,  and  that  faire-forged  spright, 
Came  to  their  wicked  maister,  and  gan  tel 
Their  bootelesse  paines,  and  ill  succeeding  night: 
Who,  all  in  rage  to  see  his  skilfull  might 
"Deluded  so,  gan  threaten  hellish  paine, 
And  sad  Proserpines  wrath,  them  to  affright. 
But,  when  he  saw  his  threatning  was  but  vaine, 
He  cast  about,  and  searcht  his  baleful  bokes  againe. 


VI. 

Retourning  to  his  bed  in  torment  great, 
And  bitter  anguish  of  his  guilty  sight, 
He  could  not  rest ;  but  did  his  stout  heart  eat, 
And  wast  his  inward  gall  with  deepe  despight, 
Yrkesome  of  life,  and  too  long  lingring  night. 
At  last  faire  Hesperus  in  highest  skie 
Had  spent  his  lampe,  and  brought  forth  dawning  light; 
Then  up  he  rose,  and  clad  him  hastily: 
The  dwarf e  him  brought  his  steed;  so  both  away  do  fly. 

vn. 

Now  when  the  rosy-fingred  Morning  faire, 
Weary  of  aged  Tithones  saffron  bed, 

3.  4,  5.— These  verses  describe  a  foul  trick  played  on  the  Redcrosse 
Knight  by  Archimago,  by  which  the  former  believes  he  has  witnessed 
the  wanton  unfaithfulness  of  Una,  here  representative  of  Truth,  as 
Archimago  is  of  Falsehood. 

6.  4.  And  wast  his  inward  gall,  etc.— The  gall  was  formerly  sup 
posed  to  be  the  seat  of  anger. — despight.    See  I.  I.  3. 

6.  5.  Yrkesome. — See  I.  lv.  5. 

6.  6.  Hesperus.— Usually  the  evening  star,  but  here  evidently  applied 
to  the  morning  star,  and,  as  such,  often  called  by  the  Greeks  Heosphor*  .s 
(the  light-bringer).  In  both  cases  the  planet  Venus  is  referred  to.  Af  a 
divinity,  Hesperus  was  the  son  of  the  Titan  Astrceus,  father  of  all  the 
stars,  and  Heos  or  Eos,  dawn. 

7.  2.  Aged  Tithones,  etc.— This  alludes  to  the  myth  that  amorrnl. 
Tithonus,  beloved  by  Eos  (Aurora,  Morning),  obtained  from  the  gods  im 
mortality,  but  not  eternal  youth,  in  consequence  of  which,  he  completely 
shrunk  together  in  his  old  age.    See  Tennyson's  Tithonos. 


THE   FAERIE   QUEE2STE. 

Had  spred  her  purple  robe  through  deawy  aire, 

And  the  high  hils  Titan  discovered, 

The  royall  virgin  shooke  off  drousyhed; 

And,  rising  forth  out  of  her  baser  bowre, 

Lookt  for  her  knight,  who  far  away  was  fled, 

And  for  her  dwarf e,  that  wont  to  wait  each  howre: 

Then  gan  she  wail  and  weepe  to  see  that  woeful  stowre. 

vm. 
And  after  him  she  rode,  with  so  much  speede 
As  her  slowe  beast  could  make;  but  all  in  vaine; 
For  him  so  far  had  borne  his  light-foot  steede, 
Pricked  with  wrath  and  fiery  fierce  disdaine, 
That  him  to  follow  was  but  f ruitlesse  paine : 
Yet  she  her  weary  limbes  would  never  rest; 
But  every  hil  and  dale,  each  wood  and  plaine, 
Did  search,  sore  grieved  in  her  gentle  brest, 
He  so  ungently  left  her,  whome  she  loved  best. 


But  subtill  Archimago,  when  his  guests 
He  saw  divided  into  double  parts, 
And  Una  wandring  in  woods  and  forrests, 
(Th'  end  of  his  drift,)  he  praisd  his  divelish  arts, 
That  had  such  might  over  true  meaning  harts: 
Yet  rests  not  so,  but  other  meanes  doth  make, 
How  he  may  worke  unto  her  further  smarts; 
For  her  he  hated  as  the  hissing  snake, 
And  in  her  many  troubles  did  most  pleasure  take. 

x. 

He  then  devisde  himself e  how  to  disguise; 
For  by  his  mighty  science  he  could  take 

7.  4.  Titan.— The  sun,  so  called  as  being  the  son  of  the  Titans,  Hyper- 
ion and  Thia. 

7.  5.  Drousyhed.— Drowsiness:  -hed  is  still  seen  in  maidenhead,  god- 
head, and  is  the  same  as  -hood  in  manhood. 

7.  6.  Bowre.— Chamber.  A.S.  bur,  an  inner  room,  a  bed-chamber, 
from  buan,  to  build;  Ice.  bur,  Sc.  byre;  Ger.  bauer,  from  bauen,  to 
build. 

7.  9.  Stowre. — Stir,  commotion,  disturbance.  From  the  root  of  stir; 
Sc.  stour,  commotion,  dust  blown  confusedly  by  the  wind. 

8.  4.  Pricked.— Stung,  referring  to  him  in  line  3. 

9.  6.  Doth  make.— Devises. 


34  THE  FAERIE   QUEEtfE. 

As  many  formes  and  shapes  in  seeming  wise, 

As  ever  Proteus  to  himselfe  could  make: 

Sometime  a  f owle,  sometime  a  fish  in  lake, 

Now  like  a  foxe,  now  like  a  dragon  fell; 

That  of  himselfe  he  ofte  for  feare  would  quake, 

And  oft  would  flie  away.     O  who  can  tell 

The  hidden  powre  of  heroes,  and  might  of  magick  spel! 

XI. 

But  now  seemde  best  the  person  to  put  on 
Of  that  g*ed  knight,  his  late  beguiled  guest: 
In  mighty  armes  he  was  yclad  anon, 
And  silver  shield ;  upon  his  coward  brest 
A  bloody  crosse,  and  on  his  craven  crest 
A  bounch  of  heares  discolourd  diversly. 
Full  jolly  knight  he  seemde,  and  wel  addrest; 
And,  when  he  sate  upon  his  courser  free, 
Saint  George  himselfe  ye  would  have  deemed  him  to  be. 

XII. 

But  he,  the  knight,  whose  semblaunt  he  did  beare, 
The  true  Saint  George,  was  wandred  far  away, 
Still  flying  from  his  thoughts  and  gealous  feare: 
Will  was  his  guide,  and  grief  e  led  him  astray. 

10.  4.  Proteus.— In  ancient  mythology,  the  prophetic  old  man  of  the 
sea,  who  tended  the  flocks  (the  seals)  or  the  sea-god  Poseidon.  When 
any  one  seized  him,  he  had  the  power  of  assuming  every  possible  shape, 
in  order  to  avoid  the  necessity  of  prophesying. 

11.  1.  But  now,  etc.— That  is,  out  now  it  seemed  best  to  him  to  per- 
sonate, etc.  To  put  on  the  person  is  a  Latinism  =  personam  inducre% 
to  put  on  the  mask  of,  to  personate,  as  does  an  actor;  the  orig.  meaning 
of  persona  was  a  mask. 

A.  3.  Yclad — See  I.  i.  2. 

11.  6.  Discolourd  diversly.— Diversely  colored. 

11.  7.  Jolly.— See  I.  i.  8.—  addrest,  dressed. 

11.  9.  Saint  George.— This  saint  is  venerated  both  in  the  Eastern  and 
Western  Churches,  and  prob.  represents  a  real  person,  who,  at  a  ve\y 
early  period,  did  real  service  to  the  former;  his  conflict  with  the  dr«*gon 
most  prob.  arose  out  of  a  symbolical  or  allegorical  representation  of  his 
contest  with  the  pagan  prosecutor.  He  was  early  regarded  as  a  patron 
of  the  military  profession,  and  was  so  honored  in  France  in  toe  6th 
century;  but  it  was  not  until  the  Crusaders,  who  ascribed  their  cuccess 
at  the  siege  of  Antioch  to  him,  returned  io  Europe,  that  the  rcigious 
honor  paid  him  reached  its  full  development.  At  the  Council  of  Ox- 
ford, in  1222,  his  feast  was  ordered  to  be  kept  as  a  national  festivr.l.  Id 
2880,  he  was  made  patron  of  the  order  of  the  Garter  by  Edward  Hi. 

12.  1.  Semblaunt.— Semblance. 

12.  2.  The  true  Saint  George.— See  II.  xi.  9, 


THE   FAEEIE   QUEEtfE.  35 

A.t  last  him  chaunst  to  meete  upon  the  way 
A  faithlesse  Sarazin,  all  armde  to  point, 
In  whose  great  shield  was  writ  with  letters  gay 
Sans  f by ;  full  large  of  limbe  and  every  joint 
He  was,  and  cared  not  for  God  or  man  a  point, 

xin. 
Hee  had  a  faire  companion  of  his  way, 
A  goodly  lady  clad  in  scarlot  red, 
Purfled  with  gold  and  pearle  of  rich  assay; 
And  like  a  Persian  mitre  on  her  hed 

Shee  wore,  with  crowns  and  owches  garnished,  * 

The  which  her  lavish  lovers  to  her  gave : 
Her  wanton  palfrey  all  was  overspred 
With  tinsell  trappings,  woven  like  a  wave, 
Whose  bridle  rung  with  golden  bels  and  bosses  brare 

xrv. 
With  faire  disport,  and  courting  dalliaunce, 
She  intertainde  her  lover  all  the  way: 
But,  when  she  saw  the  knight  his  speare  advaunce, 
She  soone  left  off  her  mirth  and  wanton  play, 
And  bad  her  knight  addresse  him  to  the  fray, 
His  foe  was  nigh  at  hand.     He,  prickte  with  pride, 
And  hope  to  winne  his  ladies  hearte  that  day, 
Forth  spurred  fast;  adowne  his  coursers  side 
The  red  bloud  trickling  staind  the  way,  as  he  did  ride. 

12.  6.  All  armde,  etc.— See  I.  xvi.  6. 

12.  8.  Sans  foy.— Fr.  =  Faithless. 

13.  2.  A  goodly  lady.— Duessa,  representative  of  Falsehood,  anc" 
more  particularly  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  to  which  zealous  Protestant 
apply  the  epithet  "  Scarlet  Lady,"  anc1  which  Spenser  and  his  contem 
poraries  did  not  hesitate  to  class  along  with  the  Saracens  or  Mohammt 
dans.    She  is  supposed  also  to  represent  Mary  Queen  of  Scots. 

13.  3.  Purfled.— Trimmed,  embroidered,  and  generally  with  gold- 
fringe.  Fr.  pourfiler,  from  same  root  as  profile,  L.  pro.  and  filum,  a 
thread;  Ital.  profilare. — assay,  standard,  value;  lit.,  test,  trial.  Ital.  a*- 
saggiare,  to  try.  L.  exagium,  a  standard  weight,  test. 

13.  4.  And  like — And  (a  thing)  like. 

13.  5.  Owches.— Here  prob.  means  jewels:  it  also  meant  a  necklace 
or  collar  for  a  woman's  neck.  Corrupted  from  nouch,  as  an  eyas  tor  a 
nias;  low.  L.  nusca,  nosca,  old  Ger.  nusca,  nusche,  a  bezel  or  socket 
in  which  a  stone  is  set;  Ital.  nocchia,  notch  or  knuckle. 

14.  5.  Addresse — Make  ready,  adjust,  prepare  Fr-  Q$mm,  (PrUffTi 
to  prepare,  from  L.  dirigo,  to  direct. 

r  14.  6.  Priokto.—  Btomg*  w»©d  en, 


THE  FAERIE  QUEENE. 


XV. 

The  Knight  of  the  Redcrosse,  when  him  he  spide 
Spurring  so  hote  with  rage  dispiteous, 
Gan  fairely  couch  his  speare,  and  towards  ride: 
Soone  meete  they  both,  both  fell  and  furious, 
That,  daunted  with  theyr  forces  hideous, 
Their  steeds  doe  stagger,  and  amazed  stand; 
And  eke  themselves,  too  rudely  rigorous, 
Astonied  with  the  stroke  of  their  owne  hand, 
Doe  backe  rebutte,  and  ech  to  other  yealdeth  land. 

XVI. 

As  when  two  rams/  stird  with  ambitious  pride, 
Fight  for  the  rule  of  the  rich  fleeced  flocke, 
Their  horned  fronts  so  fierce  on  either  side 
Doe  meete,  that,  with  the  terror  of  the  shocke, 
Astonied,  both  stand  sencelesse  as  a  blocke, 
Forgetfull  of  the  hanging  victory: 
So  stood  these  twaine,  unmoved  as  a  rocke, 
Both  staring  fierce,  and  holding  idely 
The  broken  reliques  of  their  former  cruelty. 

xvn 
The  Sarazin,  sore  daunted  with  the  buffe, 
Snatcheth  his  sword,  and  fiercely  to  him  flies; 
Who  well  it  wards,  and  quyteth  cuff  with  cuff: 
Each  others  equall  puissaunce  envies, 
And  through  their  iron  sides  with  cruell  spies 
Does  seeke  to  perce;  repining  courage  yields 


15.  2.  Dispiteous.— May  be  =  void  of  pity,  pitiless;  or  =  full  of  de* 
spight,  hateful.    See  1. 1.  3. 
15.  3.  Towards.— Supply  him. 

15.  7.  Eke See  Introd.  4,  1. 

15.  8.  Astonied. — Astonished,  stunned. 

15.  9.  Rebutte.—  Recoil.— yealdeth  land,  giveth  way. 

16.  5.  Astonied.— See  II.  xv.  8. 

16.  6.  Hanging — Undecided,  doubtful. 

16.  9.  The  broken  reliques. — The  shattered  spears. 

17.  1.  Buffe Rebuff,  blow. 

17.  3.  Quyteth — Requiteth. 

17.  4.  Each  others,  etc.— Each  envies  the  other's  equal  vaior,  auc" 
each  seeks  with  cruel  glances  to  pierce  through  the  others  sides,  armed 
with  iron  (prob.  to  and  a  weak  point). 


THE  FAERIE  QUEENE.  37 

No  foote  to  foe:  the  flashing  fier  flies, 

As  from  a  forge,  out  of  their  burning  shields; 

And  streams  of  purple  bloud  new  die  the  verdant  fields. 


*'  Curse  on  that  Cross,"  quoth  then  the  Sarazin, 
"  That  keepes  thy  body  from  the  bitter  fitt; 
Dead  long  ygoe,  I  wote,  thou  haddest  bin, 
Had  not  that  charme  from  thee  forwarned  itt: 
But  yet  I  warne  thee  now  assured  sitt, 
And  hide  thy  head."    Therewith  upon  his  crest 
With  rigor  so  outrageous  he  smitt, 
That  a  large  share  it  hewd  out  of  the  rest, 
And  glauncing  downe  his  shield  from  blame  him  fairly  blest 

XIX. 

Who,  thereat  wondrous  wroth,  the  sleeping  spark 
Of  native  virtue  gan  eftsoones  revive; 
And  at  his  haughty  helmet  making  mark, 
So  hugely  stroke,  that  it  the  Steele  did  rive, 
And  cleft  his  head :  he,  tumbling  downe  alive, 
With  bloudy  mouth  his  mother  earth  did  kis, 
Greeting  his  grave:  his  grudging  ghost  did  strive 
With  the  fraile  flesh;  at  last  it  flitted  is, 
Whither  the  soules  do  fly  of  men  that  live  amis. 

xx. 

The  lady,  when  she  saw  her  champion  fall, 
Like  the  old  ruines  of  a  broken  towre, 
Staid  not  to  waile  his  woef ull  f unerall ; 
But  from  him  fled  away  with  all  her  powre: 
Who  after  her  as  hastily  gan  scowre, 

18.  2.  Bitter  fitt.— Death,  the  bitter  throes  or  pangs  of  death. 
18.  3.  "Wote.— See  I.  xiii.  2. 
18.  5.  Assured  sitt.— Keep  a  sure  or  firm  seat. 

18.  8.  Share.— Slice,  that  which  is  shorn,  or  cut  off.    Compare  plough 
share.— it,  the  sword. 

18.  9.  From  blame,  etc.— From  harm  him  (that  is,  the  knight)  fairly 
preserved. 

19.  1.  Who.— That  is,  him  (the  knight)  of  last  line. 
19.  2.  Eftsoones — Soon  after,  forthwith. 

19.  3.  Making  mark.— Taking  aim. 

19.  7.  Grudging  ghost.— Unwilling  spirit. 

«>.  5.  Who.— The  knight. 


38  THE   FAERIE   QUEENE. 

Bidding  the  dwarf e  with  him  to  bring  away 

The  Sarazins  shield,  signe  of  the  conqueroure: 

Her  soone  he  overtooke,  and  bad  to  stay; 

For  present  cause  was  none  of  dread  her  to  dismay, 

XXI. 

Shee  turning  backe,  with  ruefull  countenaunce, 
Cride,  "  Mercy,  mercy,  Sir,  vouchsafe  to  show 
On  silly  dame,  subject  to  hard  mischaunce, 
And  to  your  mighty  will"    Her  humblesse  low 
In  so  ritch  weedes,  and  seeming  glorious  show, 
Did  much  emmove  his  stout  heroicke  heart ; 
And  said,  "  Deare  dame,  your  suddein  overthrow 
Much  rueth  me;  but  now  put  feare  apart, 
And  tel,  both  who  ye  be,  and  who  that  tooke  your  part." 

XXII. 

Melting  in  teares,  then  gan  shee  thus  lament; 
"The  wretched  woman,  whom  unhappy  howre 
Hath  now  made  thrall  to  your  commandement, 
Before  that  angry  heavens  list  to  lowre, 
And  fortune  false  betraide  me  to  thy  powre, 
Was  (O  what  now  availeth  that  I  was !) 
Borne  the  sole  daughter  of  an  Emperour; 
He  that  the  wide  West  under  his  rule  has, 
And  high  hath  set  his  throne  where  Tiberis  doth  pas. 

xxth. 
"  He,  in  the  £rst  flowre  of  my  freshest  age, 
betrothed  me  unto  the  onely  haire 
Of  a  most  mighty  king,  most  rich  and  sage ; 
Was  never  prince  so  faithfull  and  so  faire, 
Was  never  prince  so  meeke  and  debonaire; 

21.  4.  Humblesse.— Humbleness,  humility. 

21.  5.'  "Weedes Clothes. 

21.  7.  And  said.— And  he  said. 

21.  8.  Rueth — Grieveth. 

22.  4.  Before  that,  etc.— Before  it  pleased  the  angry  heavens  to 
lower  or  frown  upon  me. 

22.  9.  Where  Tiberis  doth  pas.— That  is,  Rome.  The  passage 
refers  to  the  papacy,  which  occupied  to  a  certain  extent  the  place  of  the 
ancient  Roman  emperors. 

23.  5.  Debonaire.— Fr.  =  of  good  air  or  bearing,  courteous,  gra 
eioue. 


THE  FAERIE   QUEENE.  39 

But,  ere  my  hoped  day  of  spousall  shone, 
My  dearest  lord  fell  from  high  honors  staire 
Into  the  hands  of  hys  accursed  fone, 
And  cruelly  was  slaine ;  that  shall  I  ever  mone. 

xxrv. 
"  His  blessed  body,  spoild  of  lively  breath, 
Was  afterward,  I  know  not  how,  convaid, 
And  fro  me  hid :  of  whose  most  innocent  death 
When  tidings  came  to  mee,  unhappy  maid, 
O,  how  great  sorrow  my  sad  soule  assaidl 
Then  forth  I  went  his  woefull  corse  to  find, 
And  many  yeares  throughout  the  world  I  straid, 
A  virgin  widow ;  whose  deepe  wounded  mind 
With  love  long  time  did  languish,  as  the  striken  hind. 

xxv. 
"  At  last  it  chaunced  this  proud  Sarazin 
To  meete  me  wandring;  who  perforce  me  led 
With  him  away;  but  yet  could  never  win 

There  lies  he  now  with  foule  dishonor  dead, 

Who,  whiles  he  livde,  was  called  proud  Sans  foy, 

The  eldest  of  three  brethren;  all  three  bred 

Of  one  bad  sire,  whose  youngest  is  Sans  joy; 

And  twixt  them  both  was  born  the  bloudy  bold  Sans  Joy. 

XXVI. 

M  In  this  sad  plight,  friendlesse,  unfortunate, 
Now  miserable  I  Fidessa,  dwell, 
Craving  of  you,  in  pitty  of  my  state, 
To  doe  none  ill,  if  please  ye  not  doe  well." 
He  in  great  passion  al  this  while  did  dwell, 
More  busying  his  quicke  ^es  her  face  to  view, 
Then  his  dull  eares  to  heare  what  shee  did  tell; 


23.  8.  Fone.— The  old  pi.  in  -en,  still  seen  in  oxen. 

24.  5.  Assaid.— Tried.    See  II.  xxiv.  J. 

25.  8.  Sans  joy.— Joyless. 
25.  9.  Sans  loy.— Lawless. 

26   2.  Fidessa.— Whose  name  Duessa  assumes,  no  doubt  represents 
Tr"th,  or  the  true  church  or  faith. 
#>.  4.  If  please.— If  it  please. 


40  THE   FAERIE  QUEENB. 

And  said,  "Faire  lady,  hart  of  flint  would  rew 
The  undeserved  woes  and  sorrowes,  which  ye  shew. 

XXVII. 

"  Henceforth  in  safe  as?uraunce  may  ye  rest, 
Having  both  found  a  new  friend  you  to  aid, 
And  lost  an  old  foe  that  did  you  molest; 
Better  new  friend  then  an  old  foe  is  said." 
,Vith  chaunge  of  chear  the  seeming  simple  maid 
Let  fal  her  eien,  as  shame  fast,  to  the  earth, 
And  yeelding  soft,  in  that  she  nought  gainsaid, 
So  forth  they  rode,  he  feining  seemely  merth, 
And  shee  coy  lookes:  so  dainty,  they  say,  maketh  derth, 

XXVIII. 

Long  time  they  thus  together  travelled ; 
Til,  weary  of  their  way,  they  came  at  last 
Where  grew  two  goodly  trees,  that  faire  did  spred 
Their  armes  abroad,  with  gray  mosse  overcast; 
And  their  greene  leaves,  trembling  with  every  blast, 
Made  a  calme  shadowe  far  in  compasse  round: 
The  fearefull  shepheard,  often  there  aghast, 
Under  them  never  sat,  ne  wont  there  sound 
His  mery  oaten  pipe;  but  shund  th'  unlucky  ground. 


But  this  good  knight,  soone  as  he  them  can  spie, 
For  the  coole  shade  him  thither  hastly  got: 
For  golden  Phoebus,  now  ymounted  hie, 
From  fiery  wheeles  of  his  faire  chariot 

...  — * 

27.  4.  If  said.— It  is  said. 

27.  5.  Chear See  I.  ii.  8. 

27.  6.  Eien.— See  Introd.  4,  5,—shamefast,  now  shamefaced,  though 
unconnected  with  face;  A.S.  sceam-faist — sceamu,  modesty,  and  fo3st, 
*ast.  perfectly,  very:  so  steadfast 

27.  9.  So  dainty,  etc.— So  the  Latin  proverb.  Quae  vara  cava,  "What 
fs  rare  is  dear."  Duessa  hoped  by  her  assumed  coyness  to  make  herself 
iear  to,  or  eagerly  sought  after  by  the  knight.    Dearth  lit.  means  dear- 

28.'  7.  Aghast.— Terrified. 

28.  8.  Ne  wont,  etc.— Nor  was  wont  there  to  sound. 

29.  1.  Can  spie.— Began  to  see. 

29.  3.  Phoebus.— Lit.  bright,  pure,  or  shining,  was  an  epithet  ft 
Apollo,  afterwards  applied  to  the  sun,  as  here.  As  the  sun-god.  lie  v-  s 
supposed  to  traverse  the  heavens  daily  in  a.  brilliant  chariot.—  ymounted 
See  I.  i.  3, 


me  Faerie  queeke.  41 

Hurled  his  beame  so  scorching  cruell  hot, 

That  living  creature  mote  it  not  abide; 

And  his  new  lady  it  endured  not. 

There  they  alight,  in  hope  themselves  to  hide 

From  the  fierce  heat,  and  rest  their  weary  limbs  a  tide. 

XXX. 

Faire  seemely  pleasaunce  each  to  other  makes, 
With  goodly  purposes,  there  as  they  sit ; 
And  in  his  falsed  fancy  he  her  takes 
To  be  the  fairest  wight  that  lived  yit; 
Which  to  expresse,  he  bends  his  gentle  wit; 
And,  thinking  of  those  braunches  greene  to  frame 
A  girlond  for  her  dainty  forehead  fit, 
He  pluckt  a  bough ;  out  of  whose  rif te  there  came 
Smal  drops  of  gory  bloud,  that  trickled  down  the  same. 

XXXI. 

Therewith  a  piteous  yelling  voice  was  heard, 
Crying,  * '  O  spare  with  guilty  hands  to  teare 
My  tender  sides  in  this  rough  rynd  embard; 
But  fly,  ah!  fly  far  hence  away,  for  feare 
Least  to  you  hap  that  happened  to  me  heare, 
And  to  this  wretched  lady,  my  deare  love ; 
O  too  deare  love,  love  bought  with  death  too  deare!" 
Astond  he  stood,  and  up  his  heare  did  hove; 
And  with  that  suddein  horror  could  no  member  move. 

XXXII. 

At  last  whenas  the  dreadf  ull  passion 
Was  overpast,  and  manhood  well  awake; 

29.  6.  Mote.— Might. 

29.  9.  Tide.— Time,  while.    A.S.  tid,  time. 

30.  1.  Faire  seemely,  etc.— Pleasant  and  agreeable  attentions. 
30.  2.  Purposes.— Discourse,  conversation.    Fr.  propos. 

30.  8.  Out  of  whose  rifte,  etc.— This  fancy  of  men  being  converted 
into  or  imprisoned  in  trees,  occurs  in  various  old  poets.  A  similar  pas- 
sage occurs  in  Virgil,  JEn.  3,  23:  and  Spenser  evidently  imitates  here 
Anosto's  Orlando  fiurioso,  vi.  27. 

31.  3.  Embard.— Imprisoned,  confined. 

81.  8.  Astond.— Astounded,  astonished.  Old  Eng.  ast<mney  A.S.  stun? 
fan,  to  stun,— hove,  rise;  same  as  heave, 

32.  1.  Whenas.— When. 


42  THE  FAERIE   QUEENE. 

Yet  musing  at  the  straunge  occasion, 

And  doubting  much  his  sence,  he  thus  bespake: 

"What  voice  of  damned  ghost  from  Limbo  lake, 

Or  guilefull  spright  wandring  in  empty  aire, 

Both  which  fraile  men  doe  oftentimes  mistake, 

Sends  to  my  doubtful  eares  these  speaches  rare, 

And  ruefull  plaints,  me  bidding  guiltlesse  blood  to  spare?" 

xxxm. 

Then,  groning  deep;  "Nor  damned  ghost,"  quoth  he, 
"Nor  guileful  sprite  to  thee  these  words  doth  speake; 
But  once  a  man  Fradubio,  now  a  tree ; 
Wretched  man,  wretched  tree!  whose  nature  weake 
A  cruell  witch,  her  cursed  will  to  wreake, 
Hath  thus  transformed,  and  plast  in  open  plaines, 
Where  Boreas  doth  blow  full  bitter  bleake, 
And  scorching  sunne  does  dry  my  secret  vaines; 
For  though  a  tree  1  seme,  yet  cold  and  heat  me  paines.,; 

xxxiv. 
"Say  on,  Fradubio,  then,  or  man  or  tree," 
Quoth  then  the  knight;  "by  whose  mischievous  arts 
Art  thou  misshaped  thus,  as  now  I  see? 
He  oft  finds  med'cine  who  his  grief e  imparts; 
But  double  griefs  afflict  concealing  harts; 
As  raging  flames  who  striveth  to  suppresse." 
"  The  author  then,"  said  he,  "  of  all  my  smarts, 
Is  one  Duessa,  a  false  sorceresse, 
That  many  errant  knights  hath  broght  to  wretchednesse. 

32.  4.  Bespake.— Spoke. 

32.  5.  Limbo,  or  Limbus  (L.  limbus,  a  border).— The  name  applied  in 
Roman  Catholic  theology  to  that  part  of  the  next  world  where  those 
aouls  are  detained  who  have  not  offended  by  any  personal  act  of  their 
own,  and  who  are  waiting  for  the  resurrection  to  be  admitted  to  heaven. 
There  is  the  Limbus  Patrum  (Limbo  of  the  Fathers),  the  place  of 
those  just  who  died  before  Christ's  coming;  and  Limbus  Infantum 
(Limbo  of  Infanta),  the  place  or  state  of  unbaptised  infants.  Limbo  is 
sometimes  applied  also  to  Purgatory  and  Hell;  in  the  last  sense  it  seems 
to  be  used  by  Spenser. 

32.  8.  Speaches  rare. — Thin  squeaking  voice. 
3ft.  3.  But  once.— That  is,  but  one  who  was  once. 

33.  7.  Boreas.— Gr.  name  of  the  north,  or,  more  strictly,  the  north- 
north-east  wind. 

34.  5.  But  double,  etc.— That  is,  hearts  which  conceal  their  grief 
thereby  double  it. 

84.  8.  Duessa — See  II.  xiii.  2. 


THE  FAERIE  QUEENS  43 


XXXV. 

"In  prime  of  youthly  yeares,  when  corage  hott 
The  fire  of  love,  and  joy  of  chevalree 
First  kindled  in  my  brest,  it  was  my  lott 
To  love  this  gentle  ladj',  whome  ye  see 
Now  not  a  lady,  but  a  seeming  tree; 
With  whome,  as  once  I  rode  accompanyde, 
Me  chaunced  of  a  knight  encountred  bee, 
That  had  a  like  faire  lady  by  his  syde; 
Lyke  a  faire  lady,  but  did  fowle  Duessa  hyde. 

XXXYI. 

"  Whose  forged  beauty  he  did  take  in  hand 
All  other  dames  to  have  exceeded  farre; 
I  in  defence  of  mine  did  likewise  stand, 
Mine,  that  did  then  shine  as  the  morning  starre. 
80  both  to  batteili  fierce  arraunged  arre; 
In  which  his  harder  fortune  was  to  fall 
Under  my  speare:  such  is  the  dye  of  warre. 
His  lady,  left  as  a  prise  martiall, 
Did  yield  her  comely  person  to  be  at  my  call. 

XXXVII. 

"  So  doubly  lov'd  of  ladies,  unlike  faire, 
Th'  one  seeming  such,. the  other  such  indeede, 
One  day  in  doubt  I  cast  for  to  compare 
Whether  in  beauties  glorie  did  exceede; 
A  rosy  girlend  was  the  victors  meede, 
Both  seemde  to  win,  and  both  seemde  won  to  bee; 
So  hard  the  discord  was  to  be  agreede. 
Frselissa  was  as  faire  as  faire  mote  bee, 
And  ever  false  Duessa  seemde  as  faire  as  shee. 

XXXVIII. 

"The  wicked  witch,  now  seeing  all  this  while 
The  doubtfull  ballaunce  equally  to  sway, 

35.  9.  But  did.— But  she  did. 

36.  1.  Did  take  in  hand.— Did  undertake,  maintain,  or  wf£  read/ 
to  maintain  by  the  sword. 

37.  4-  Whether — Whjgfc  of  the  |WQ, 
(J7,  3.  AlQt*.-H)gl»t, 


44  THE   FAERIE   QUEEtfE. 

What  not  by  right,  she  cast  to  win  by  guile; 

And,  by  her  hellish  science  raisd  streight  way 

A  foggy  mist  that  overcast  the  day, 

And  a  dull  blast  that  breathing  on  her  face 

Dimmed  her  former  beauties  shining  ray, 

And  with  foule  ugly  forme  did  her  disgrace: 

Then  was  she  fayre  alone,  when  none  was  faire  in  place. 

XXXIX. 

u  Then  cride  she  out,  'Fye,  fye,  deformed  wight, 
Whose  borrowed  beautie  now  appeareth  plaine 
To  have  before  bewitched  all  mens  sight: 
01  leave  her  soone,  or  let  her  soone  be  slaine.' 
Her  loathly  visage  viewing  with  disdaine, 
Eftsoones  I  thought  her  such  as  she  me  told, 
And  would  have  kild  her;  but  with  faigned  paine 
The  false  witch  did  my  wrathfull  hand  withhold: 
So  left  her,  where  she  now  is  turned  to  tregn  mould. 

XL. 

"Thensforth  I  tooke  Buessa  for  my  dame, 
And  in  the  witch  unweeting  joyd  long  time; 
Ne  ever  wist  but  that  she  was  the  same ; 
Till  on  a  day  (that  day  is  everie  prime, 
When  witches  wont  do  penance  for  their  crime,) 
I  chaunst  to  see  her  in  her  proper  hew, 
Bathing  her  selfe  in  origane  and  thyme: 

38.  3.  "What  not.— What  she  could  not.— cast,  contrived. 

38.  9.  In  place.— In  the  place;  or  perhaps  instead,  that  is,  opposed  to 
her. 

39.  1.  Wight  was  formerly  both  masculine  and  feminine;  here  it- 
refers  to  Frselissa. 

39.  6.  Eftsoones.— Soon  after,  straightway. 

39.  9.  Treen  mould.— Form  of  a  tree;  treen,  an  adjective  formed 
from  tree,  in  the  same  way  as  leathern  from  leather. 

40.  2.  Unweeting. — Not  weeting  or  knowing,  ignorant.  Old  Eng. 
weet,  to  know;  hence  wot,  wit,  from  A.S.  witan,  to  know;  Ger.  wissen. 

40.  3.  Wist.— A.S.  wiste,  pa.t.  of  witan.    See  previous  note. 

40.  4-5.  That  day,  etc.— This  refers  to  the  once  common  belief  that 
witches  had  to  wash  themselves  once  a  year  as  a  penance,  when  they 
were  sometimes  changed  into  wolves  and  other  beasts.  See  Par.  Lost, 
x.  575.— prime  here  evidently  means  spring-time. 

40.  6.    Hew.— Shape. 

40.  7.  Bathing  her  selfe,  etc.— Origane  (L.  origanum),  or  bastard 
marjoram,  according  to  Gerarde's  Herball,  "healeth  scabs,  itchinga. 
and  scurvinesse,  being  used  in  bathes."  Thyme  was  deemed  of  simile? 
Yirtue. 


THE  FAERIE   QUEENE.  45 

A  filthy  foule  old  woman  I  did  vew, 

That  ever  to  have  touch  t  her  I  did  deadly  rew 

XLI. 

"  Her  neather  partes  misshapen,  monstruous, 
Were  hidd  in  water;  that  I  could  not  see; 
But  they  did  seeme  more  foule  and  hideous, 
Then  womans  shape  man  would  beleeve  to  bee. 
Thensforth  from  her  most  beastly  companie 
I  gan  refraine,  in  minde  to  slipp  away, 
Soone  as  appeard  safe  opportunitie : 
For  danger  great,  if  not  assurd  decay, 
I  saw  before  mine  eyes,  if  I  were  knowne  to  stray. 

XLIL 

"  The  divelish  hag  by  chaunges  of  my  cheare 
Perceiv'd  my  thought;  and,  drownd  in  sleepie  night, 
With  wicked  herbes  and  oyntments  did  besrneare 
My  body  all,  through  charmes  and  magicke  might, 
That  all  my  senses  were  bereaved  quight : 
Then  brought  she  me  into  this  desert  waste, 
And  by  my  wretched  lovers  side  me  pight; 
Where  now  enclosd  in  wooden  wals  full  faste, 
Banisht  from  living  wights,  our  wearie  daies  we  waste." 

XLin. 
"  But  how  long  time,,v  said  then  the  Elfin  knight, 
"Are  you  in  this  misformed  hous  to  dwell? "* 
"  We  may  not  chaunge,"  quoth  he,  M  this  evill  plight, 
Till  we  be  bathed  in  a  living  well: 
That  is  the  terme  prescribed  by  the  spell." 
"  O  how,"  sayd  he,  "  mote  I  that  well  out  find, 
That  may  restore  you  to  your  wonted  well?" 

41.  9.  If  I  were  knowne,  etc.— That  is,  if  she  knew  or  caught  him 
trying  to  leave  her;  hence  he  watched  a  "safe  opportunitie  to  slipp 
away." 

42.  1.  By  chaunges,  etc.— By  the  change  of  my  countenance  or  bear- 
ing to  her.    See  I.  ii.  8. 

42.  2.  Drownd  =  I  being  drowned. 

42.  7.  Pight.— Fixed,  set;  an  old  pa.p.  of  pitch,  perhaps  allied  to  Gr. 
pegnumi,  to  fix,  pitch. 

43.  6.  Mote.— Might. 

43.  7.  Wonted  well.— Usual  natural  well-being  or  weal 


46  THE  FAERIE   QUEEBTE. 

"Time  and  suffiised  fates  to  former  kynd 

Shall  us  restore;  none  else  from  hence  may  us  unbend." 

XLTV. 

The  false  Duessa,  now  Fidessa  hight 
Heard  how  in  vaine  Fradubio  did  lament. 
And  knew  well  all  was  true.    But  the  good  knight, 
Full  of  sad  feare  and  ghastly  dreriment, 
When  all  this  speech  the  living  tree  had  sprat, 
The  bleeding  bough  did  thrust  into  the  ground. 
That  from  the  blood  he  might  be  innocent, 
And  with  fresh  clay  did  close  the  wooden  wound: 
Then,  turning  to  his  lady,  dead  with  feare  her  fowncL 

XLV. 

Her  seeming  dead  he  found  with  feigned  feaie, 
As  all  unweeting  of  that  well  she  knew; 
And  paynd  himselfe  with  busie  care  to  reare 
Her  out  of  carelesse  swowne.    Her  eyelids  blew; 
And  dimmed  sight  with  pale  and  deadly  hew, 
At  last  sne  up  gan  lift ;  with  trembling  cheare 
Her  up  he  tooke,  (too  simple  and  too  trew,) 
And  oft  her  kist    At  length,  all  passed  feare, 
He  set  her  on  her  steede,  and  forward  forth  did  boare. 


43.  8.  Suffised.— Satisfied,  fulfilled,  —former  to/nd,  former nature.,  tL&T 
is,  human  nature  or  form. 

44.  1.  Hight.— Called.    A.S.  hatan,  to  call,  name;  Ger.  heisaen. 

44.  4.  Dreriment.— Dreariness,  awe. 

45.  2.  Unweeting.— See  II.  xl.  2.— that  well  she  knew  «  that  of  whic» 
she  knew  well. 

45.  6.  Cheare.— See  I.  ii.  8. 


PROTHALAMION 

'  OR, 

A  SPOUSALL  VEESE, 

MADE    BY 

EDMUND   SPENSER, 

IN  HONOUR  OF  THE  DOUBLE  MARIAGE  OF  THE  TWO  HONOUR- 
ABLE AND  VERTUOUS  LADIES,  THE  LADIE  ELIZABETH,  AND 
THE  LADIE  KATHERINE  SOMERSET,  DAUGHTERS  TO  THE 
RIGHT  HONOURABLE,  THE  EARLE  OF  WORCESTER,  AND 
ESPOUSED  TO  THE  TWO  WORTHIE  GENTLEMEN,  M.  HENRY 
GILFORD,   AND  M.  WILLIAM  PETER,  ESQUYERS. 

Calme  was  the  day,  and  through  the  trembling  ayre 

Sweete-breathing  Zepliyrus  did  softly  play 

A  gentle  spirit,  that  lightly  did  delay 

Hot  Titans  beames,  which  then  did  glyster  fayre  ; 

When  I,  (whom  sullen  care,  5 

Through  discontent  of  my  long  f  ruitlesse  stay 

In  Princes  Court,  and  expectation  vayne 

Of  idle  hopes,  which  still  doe  fly  away, 

Like  empty  shaddowes,  did  afflict  my  brayne,) 

Walkt  forth  to  ease  my  payne  10 

Along  the  shoare  of  silver  streaming  Themmes  ; 

Whose  rutty  Bancke,  he  which  his  River  hemmes 

Was  paynted  all  with  variable  flowers, 

2.  Zephyrus.— The  Latin  personification  of  the  west  wind. 
4.  Titan.— The  sun,  so-called  by  Ovid  and  Virgil. 

11.  Themmes.— The  Thames  River,  the  largest  river  of  England,  on 
which  London  is  situated, 

12.  Rutty.— Filled  with  roots. 

47 


48  PROTHALAMION. 

And  all  the  meades  adornd  with  daintie  gemmes 

Fit  to  decke  may  dens  bowres,  15 

And  crowne  their  Paramours 

Against  the  Brydale  day,  which  is  not  long : 

Sweete  Themmes  !  runne  softly,  till  I  end  my  Song. 

There,  in  a  Meadow,  by  the  Rivers  side, 

A  Flocke  of  Nymphes  I  chaunced  to  espy,  2r 

All  lovely  Daughters  of  the  Flood  thereby, 
With  goodly  greenish  locks,  all  loose  untyde, 
As  each  had  bene  a  Bryde  ; 
And  each  one  had  a  little  wicker  basket, 

Made  of  fine  twigs,  entrayled  curiously,  35 

In  which  they  gathered  flowers  to  fill  their  flasket, 
And  with  fine  Fingers  cropt  full  feateously 
The  tender  stalkes  on  hye. 
Of  every  sort,  which  in  that  Meadow  grew, 
They  gathered  some  ;  the  Violet,  pallid  blew,  30 

The  little  Dazie,  that  at  evening  closes, 
The  virgin  Lillie,  and  the  Primrose  trew, 
With  store  of  vermeil  Roses,^^^^^ 
To  decke  their  Bridegromes  jposies, 

Against  the  Brydale  day,  which  was  not  long :  85 

Sweete  Themmes  !  runne  softly,  till  I  end  my  Song. 

With  that  I  saw  two  Swannes  of  goodly  hewe 

Come  softly  swimming  downe  along  the  Lee  ; 

Two  fairer  Birds  I  yet  did  never  see  ; 

The  snow,  which  doth  the  top  of  Pindus  strew,  40 

Did  never  whiter  shew, 

Nor  Jove  himself e,  when  he  a  Swan  would  be, 


16.  Paramours.— Lovers. 
25.  Entrayled.  —Interlaced. 
27.  Feateously.— Neatly. 

33.  Vermeil.— Vermilion. 

38.  Lee — River. 

40.  Plndus.— One  of  the  mountain  peaks  of  Thrace,  where  dwelt  the 


42.  Nor  Jove  himselfe,  etc.— In  Greek  mythology  Zeus  (the  heavens 
above)  in  the  form  of  a  swan  {the  clouds)  embraces  Leda  (mother  earth). 


PBOTHALAMIOtf.  49 

For  love  of  Leda,  -whites  did  appeare ; 

Yet  Leda  was  (they  say)  as  white  as  he, 

Yet  not  so  white  as  these,  nor  nothing  neare  ;  45 

So  purely  wiitfiLthey  were, 

That  even  the  gentle  streame,  the  which  them  bare, 

Seem'd  foule  to  them,  and  bad  his  billowes  spare 

To  wet  their  silken  feathers,  least  they  might 

Soyle  their  fayre  plumes  with  water  not  so  fay  re,  50 

And  marre  their  beauties  bright, 

That  shone  as  heavens  light, 

Against  their  Brydale  day,  which  was  not  long : 

Sweete  Themmes  !  runne  softly,  till  I  end  my  Song. 

Eftsoones  the  Nymphes,  which  now  had  Flowers  their  fill,   55 

Ran  all  in  haste  to  see  that  julyjar  brood, 

As  they  came  floating  on  the  Christal  Flood  ; 

Whom  when  they  sawe,  they  stood  amazed  still, 

Their  wondring  eyes  to  fill ; 

Them  seem'd  they  never  saw  a  sight  so  fayre,  60 

Of  Fowles,  so  lovely,  that  they  sure  did  deeme 

Them  heavenly  borne,  or  to  be  that  same  payre 

Which  through  the  Skie  draw  Venus  silver  Teeme ; 

For  sure  they  did  not  seeme 

To  be  begot  of  any  earthly  Seede,  65 

But  rather  Angels,  or  of  Angels  breede  ; 

Yet  were  they  bred  of  Somers-heat,  they  say, 

In  sweetest  Season,  when  each  Flower  and  weede 

The  earth  did  fresh  Array  ; 

So  fresh  they  seem'd  as  day,  70 

Even  as  their  Brydale  day,  which  was  not  long  : 

Sweete  Themmes  !  runne  softly,  till  I  end  my  Song. 

Then  forth  they  all  out  of  their  baskets  drew 
Great  store  of  Flowers,  the  honour  of  the  field, 


55.  Eftsoones.— Soon  after. 
60.  Them  seem'd.— It  seemed  to  them. 

63.  Which,  through  the  Skie,  etc.— In  Roman  mythology  the  car  of 
Venus  is  drawn  by  doves. 


50  PROTHALAMION. 

That  to  the  sense  did  fragrant  odours'  yeild,  75 

All  which  upon  those  goodly  Birds  they  threw 

And  all  the  Waves  did  strew, 

That  like  old  Peneus  Waters  they  did  seeme, 

When  downe  along  by  pleasant  Tempes  shore, 

Scattred  with  Flowres,  through  Thessaly  they  streeme,         80 

That  they  appeare,  through,  Lillies  plenteous  store, 

Like  a  Brydes  Chamber  flore. 

Two  of  those  Nymphes,  meanewhile,  two  Garlands  bound' 

Of  freshest  Flowers  which  in  that  Mead  they  found, 

The  which  presenting  all  in  trim  Array,  85 

Their  snowie  Foreheads  therewithall  they  crown'd, 

Whil'st  one  did  sing  this  Lay,  d  ^~**%s 

Prepar'd  against  that  Day, 

Against  their  Brydale  day,  which  was  not  long  : 

Sweete  Themmes  1  runne  softly,  till  I  end  my  Song.       90 

'Ye  gentle  Birdes  !  the  worlds  fajtfi  ornament, 

And  heavens  glorje,  whom  this  happie  hower 

Both  leade  unto  your  lovers  blisfull  bower, 

Joy  may  you  have,  and  gentle  hearts  content 

Of  your  loves  couplement ;  95 

And  let  faire  Vwnas,  that  is  Queene  of  love, 

With  her  heart-quelling  Sonne  upon  you  smile, 

Whose  smile,  they  say,  hath  vertue  to  remove 

All  Loves  dislike,  and  friendships  faultie  guile 

For  ever  to  assoile.  100 

Let  endlesse  Peace  your  steadfast  hearts  accord, 

And  blessed  Plentie  wait  upon  your  bord  ; 

And  let  your  bed  with  pleasures  chast  abound, 


78.  Peneus. — A  famous  river  of  Greece. 

79.  Tempe. — A  valley  in  Thessaly  in  Greece,  between  Mount  Olym- 
pus and  Mount  Ossa,  famed  for  its  beauty. 

95.  Couplement.— Union,  marriage.     Cf.  Faerie  Queene.  Bk.  IV, 
Canto  III,  lii : 

•*  In  perfect  love,  devoide  of  hatefull  strife, 
Alhde  with  bands  of  mutuall  couplement." 
97.  Her  heart-quelling  Sonne.— Cupid. 

100.  Assoile.— Remove.    Cf .  Faerie  Queene,  Bk.  IV,  Canto  VI,  xxv : 
11  Well  weeting  how  their  errour  to  assoyle." 


PROTHALAMIOH.  .  51 

That  f ruitfull  issue  may  to  you  afford, 

Which  may  your  foes  confound,  v  105 

And  make  your  joyes  redound 

Uponyour  Brydale  day,  which  is  not  long : 

Sweete  Themmes  !  runne  softly,  till  I  end  my  Song.* 

So  ended  she  ;  and  all  the  rest  around 

To  her  redoubled  that  her  undersong,  110 

Which  said  their  Brydale  daye  should  not  be  long : 
And  gentle  Eccho  from  the  neighbour  ground 
Their  accents  did  resound.  - 

So  forth  those  joyous  Birdes  did  passe  along, 
Adowne  the  Lee,  that  to  them  murmurde  low,  - 115 

As  he  would  speake,  but  that  he  lackt  a  tong, 
,  Yet  did  by  signes  his  glad  affection  show, 
Making  his  streame  run  slow. 
And  all  the  foule  which  in  his  flood  did  dwell 
Qan  flock  about  these  twaine,  that  did  excell  120 

The  rest,  so  far  as  Cynthia  doth  shend 
The  lesser  starres.     So  they,  enranged  well, 
Did  on  those  two  attend, 
And  their  best  service  lend 

Against  their  wedding  day,  which  was  not  long :  125 

Sweete  Themmes  !  run  softly,  till  I  end  my  Song. 

At  length  they  all  to  mery  London  came, 

To  mery  London,  my  most  kyndly  Nurse, 

That  to  me  gave  this  Lif es  first  native  sourse, 

Though  from  another  place  I  take  my  name,  130 

An  house  of  auncient  fame  : 

There  when  they  came,  whereas  those  bricky  towres 

The  which  on  Themmes  brode  aged  backe  doe  ryde, 

Where  now  the  studious  Lawyers  have  their  bowers, 

110.  Undersong. — The  burden  or  refrain  of  a  song. 

120.  Gan.— Began. 

121.  Cynthia.— In  Greek  mythology,  the  moon.  Shend,  put  to  shame. 

131.  House  of  auncient  fame.— The  Spencers  of  Althorp. 

132.  Bricky  towres.— The  towers  of  Temple  Bar.     The  adjacent 
courts  were  later  given  over  to  lawyers. 


62  PRQTHALAMION. 

There  whylome  wont  the  Templer  Knights  to  byde,  135 

Till  they  decayed  through  pride  : 

Next  whereunto  there  standes  a  stately  place, 

Where  oft  I  gayned  giftes  and  goodly  grace 

Of  that  great  Lord,  which  therein  wont  to  dwell, 

Whose  want  too  well  now  f eeles  my  f reendles  case  ;  140 

But  ah  I  here  fits  not  well 

Olde  woes,  but  joyes,  to  tell  ) 

Against  the  Bridale  daye,  which  is  not  long  : 

Sweete  Themmes  !  runne  softly,  till  I  end  my  Song. 

Yet  therein  now  doth  lodge  a  noble  Peer,  145 

Great  Englands  glory,  and  the  Worlds  wide  wonder 

Whose  dreadf ull  name  late  through  all  Spaine  did  thunder, 

And  Hercules  two  pillors  standing  heere 

Did  make  to  quake  and  f  eare  : 

Faire_branch  of  Honour,  flower  of  Chevalrie  150 

That  fillest  England  with  thy  triumphes  fame, 

Joy  have  thou  of  thy  noble  victorie, 

And  endlesse  happinesse  of  thine  owne  name 

That  promiseth  the  same  ; 

That  through  thy  prowesse,  and  victorious  armes,  155 

Thy  country  may  be  freed  from  forraine  harmes ; 

And  great  Elisaes  glorious  name  may  ring 

Through  all  the  world,  fiTd  with  thy  wide  Alarmes, 

Which  some  brave  muse  may  sing 

To  ages  following,  160 

Upon  the  Brydale  day,  which  is  not  long  : 

Sweete  Themmes  !  rnnne  softly  till  I  end  my  Song. 


135.  Whylome. — Formerly.  Templer  Knights.— The  famous  cru- 
sading Knights  Templars  whose  order  was  suppressed  in  1312  by  the 
Pope. 

139.  That  great  I^ord.— The  Earl  of  Essex,  Spenser's  patron. 

147.  Dreadfull  name.— Essex's  successful  descent  upon  Cadiz 
raised  him  to  the  zenith  of  his  fame. 

148.  Hercules  two  pillors.— The  Rock  of  Gibraltar  and  Mt.  Hacho 
opposite,  in  Africa,  are  so  called.  The  London  house  of  the  Earl  of 
Essex  stood  in  the  Strand,  where  Essex  Street  now  is,  and  is  still  repre- 
sented by  the  two  pillars  which  stand  at  the  bottom  of  that  street. 

157.  Elisaes.— Queen  Elizabeth's. 


PROTHALAMIOK.  53 

From  those  high  Towers  this  notle  Lord  issuing, 

Like  gadiajit  Hesper,  when  hisjjolden  hayre 

In  111'  Ocean  billowes  he  hath  bathed  fay  re,  Jg5 

Descended  to  the  Rivers  open  vewing, 

With  a  great  train  ensuing. 

Above  the  rest  were  goodly  to  bee  seene 

Two  gentle  Knights  of  lovely  face  and  feature, 

Beseeming  well  the  bower  of  anie  Queene,  170 

With  gifts  of  wit,  and  ornaments  of  nature, 

Fit  for  so  goodly  stature, 

That  like  the  twins  of  Jove  they  seem'd  in  sight, 

"Vyhich  decke  the  Bauldricke  of  the  Heavens  bright ; 

They  two,  forth  pacing  to  the  Rivers  side,  175 

Received  those  two  faire  Brides,  their  Loves  delight ; 

Which,  at  th'  appointed  tyde, 

Each  one  did  make  his  Bryde 

Against  their  Brydale  day,  which  is  not  long  : 

Sweete  Themmes  I  runne  softly,  till  I  end  my  Song.     180 


164.  Hesper.— In  Greek  mythology,  the  evening  star. 

173.  The  twins  of  Jove.— Castor  and  Pollux,  children  of  Jove  and 
Leda,  and,  in  Greek  mythology,  forming  the  constellation  of  Gemini, 
one  of  the  signs  of  the  Zodiac. 

174.  Bauldricke.— Belt ;  here,  the  Milky  Way.  Cf.  J.  R.  Drake* 
The  American  Flag  : 

44  The  milky  baldric  of  the  skies." 


14  DAY  USE 

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